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431-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
WARNING
Observe the following precautions to reduce the risk of injury in the event of
sudden braking, sudden swerving or an accident.
Failing to do so may cause death or serious injury.
■ Wearing a seat belt
●Ensure that all passengers wear a seat belt.
● Always wear a seat belt properly.
● Each seat belt should be used by one person only. Do not use a seat belt
for more than one person at once, including children.
● Toyota recommends that children be seated in the rear seat and always
use a seat belt and/or an appropriate child restraint system.
● To achieve a proper seating position, do not recline the seat more than
necessary. The seat belt is most effective when the occupants are sitting
up straight and well back in the seats.
● Do not wear the shoulder belt under your arm.
● Always wear your seat belt low and snug across your hips.
● When using the seat belts of the second outboard seats and third seats,
ensure that the seat belts are not in the seat belt hangers. ( →P. 176, 180)
■ When using the rear center seat belt
Do not use the rear center seat belt with
either buckle released.
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451-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
WARNING
■ Seat belt damage and wear
●Do not damage the seat belts by allowing the belt, plate, or buckle to be
jammed in the door.
● Inspect the seat belt system periodicall y. Check for cuts, fraying, and loose
parts. Do not use a damaged seat belt until it is replaced. Damaged seat
belts cannot protect an occupant from death or serious injury.
● Ensure that the belt and plate are locked and the belt is not twisted.
If the seat belt does not function correctly, immediately contact any autho-
rized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped pro-
fessional.
● Replace the seat assembly, including the belts, if your vehicle has been
involved in a serious accident, even if there’s no obvious damage.
● Do not attempt to install, remove, modify, disassemble or dispose of the
seat belts. Have any necessary repairs carried out by any authorized
Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly qualified and equipped profes-
sional. Inappropriate handling of the pretensioner may prevent it from
operating properly, resulting in death or serious injury.
Page 47 of 508
471-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
The main SRS airbag system components are shown above. The
SRS airbag system is controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. As
the airbags deploy, a chemical reaction in the inflators quickly fills the
airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the motion of the occu-
pants.
SRS airbag system components
Front impact sensors
Front passenger airbag
“PASSENGER AIR BAG”
indicator
SRS warning light
Side impact sensors (front)
Seat belt pretensioners and
force limitersSide airbags
Curtain shield airbags
Side impact sensors (rear)
Driver airbag
Driver’s knee airbag
Airbag sensor assembly
Airbag manual on-off switch1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
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481-1. For safe use
PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
WARNING
■ SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
●The driver and all passengers in the v ehicle 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.
Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 50 - 75 mm (2 - 3 in.)
of inflation, placing yourself 250 mm ( 10 in.) from your driver airbag pro-
vides 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
250 mm (10 in.) away now, you can change your driving position in sev-
eral ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the ped- als comfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 250 mm
(10 in.) 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 air- bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended above, while still maintaining
control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.
● 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.
● 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 proper ly restrained. The rear seats are
safer for infants and children than the front passenger seat. ( →P. 59)
Page 49 of 508
491-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
WARNING
■ 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 allow the front seat occupants to
hold items 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 seat toward the door or put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.
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511-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
WARNING
■ SRS airbag precautions
●If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have 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.
● If the areas where the SRS airbags ar e stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front and rear pillar garni shes, are damaged or cracked, have
them replaced by any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional.
■ Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting any authorized Toyota dealer or repairer, or another duly
qualified and equipped professional. The SRS airbags 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, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails
● Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment
● Installation of a grille guard (bull bar s, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plows or
winches
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system
● Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios (RF-trans-
mitter) and CD players
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability
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531-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
■Conditions under which the SRS airbags may deploy (inflate), other than
a collision
The SRS front airbags and SRS side and curtain shield airbags may also
deploy if a serious impact occurs to the underside of your vehicle. Some
examples are shown in the illustration.
■ Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags (SRS front air-
bags)
The SRS front airbags do not generally infl ate if the vehicle is involved in a
side or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in a low-speed frontal
collision. But, whenever a collision of any type causes sufficient forward
deceleration of the vehicle, deployment of the SRS front airbags may occur.
■ Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags
(SRS side and curtain shield airbags)
The SRS side and curtain shield airbags 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. ● Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard
surface
● Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
● Landing hard or falling
● Collision from the side
● Collision from the rear
● Vehicle rollover
● Collision from the side to the vehicle
body other than the passenger compart-
ment
● Collision from the side at an angle
Page 55 of 508
551-1. For safe use
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PRIUS +_OM_OM47B24E_(EE)
For safety and security
●A portion of a door or its surrounding
area is damaged or deformed, or the
vehicle was involved in an accident that
was not severe enough to cause the
SRS side and curtain shield airbags to
inflate.
● The pad section of the steering wheel,
dashboard near the front passenger air-
bag or lower portion of the driver’s side
instrument panel is scratched, cracked,
or otherwise damaged.
● The surface of the seats with the side
airbag is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.
● The portion of the front pillars, rear pil-
lars or roof side rail garnishes (padding)
containing the curtain shield airbags
inside is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.