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411-1. For safe use
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PRIUS c_U
SRS airbag system components
Curtain shield airbags
SRS  warning  light  and  “AIR
BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”
indicator lights
Front side airbags
Side impact sensors (rear)
Front  passenger’s  seat  cush-
ion airbag
Front  passenger’s  seat  belt
buckle switch
Driver airbag
Driver’s  seat  belt  buckle
switchDriver’s seat c
ushion airbag
Side impact sensors (front)
Seat  belt  pretensioners  and
force limiters
Side  impact  sensors  (front
door)
Driver’s knee airbag
Front  passenger  occupant
classification  system  (ECU
and sensors)
Airbag sensor assembly
Front impact sensors
Front passenger airbag1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17 
     
        
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421-1. For safe use
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Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on  the  US  motor  vehicle  safety  standards  (FMVSS208).  The  airbag
sensor  assembly  (ECU)  controls  airbag  deployment  based  on  infor-
mation  obtained  from  the  sensors  etc.  shown  in  the  system  compo -
nents  diagram  above.  This  informat ion  includes  crash  severity  and
occupant  information.  As  the  airbags  deploy,  a  chemical  reactio n  in
the inflators quickly fills the  airbags with non-toxic gas to h elp restrain
the motion of t he occupants.
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  vehicle  must  wear  their  se at  belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the se at 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) advi ses:
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  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 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 reach ing the ped-
als comfortably.
• Slightly  recline  the  back  of  the  seat.  Although  vehicle  design s  vary,
many  drivers  can  achieve  the  10  in.  (250  mm)  distance,  even  wit h  the
driver seat all the way forward, simply by reclining the back o f the seat
somewhat.  If  reclining  the  back  of  your  seat  makes  it  hard  to  s ee  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,  whil e
still  maintaining  control  of  the  foot  pedals,  steering  wheel,  and  your  view
of the instrument panel controls. 
     
        
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WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable f orce, and
can cause  death  or  serious  injury especially if the front  passe nger  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  res traint  sys-
tem. Toyota strongly recommends that all infants and children b e placed in
the  rear  seats  of  the  vehicle  and  properly  restrained.  The  rear   seats  are
safer for infants and children than the front passenger seat. ( P. 58)
●If  the  seat  belt  extender  has  been  con-
nected to the front seat belt buckles but
the seat belt extender has not also been
fastened  to  the  latch  plate  of  the  seat
belt,  the  SRS  front  airbags  will  judge
that  the  driver  and  front  passenger  are
wearing  the  seat  belt  even  though  the
seat  belt  has  not  been  connected.  In
this  case,  the  SRS  front  airbags  may
not  activate  correctly  in  a  collision,
resulting in death or serious injury in the
event of a collision. Be sure to wear the
seat belt with the seat belt extender.
●Do  not  sit  on  the  edge  of  the  seat  or
lean against the dashboard. 
     
        
        Page 44 of 596
441-1. For safe use
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WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● 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.
● Do  not  attach  anything  to  or  lean  any-
thing  against  areas  such  as  the  dash-
board,  steering  wheel  pad  and  lower
portion of the instrument panel. 
These  items  can  become  projectiles
when  the  SRS  driver,  front  passenger
and driver knee airbags deploy. 
     
        
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451-1. For safe use
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WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● Do  not  hang  coat  hangers  or  other  hard  objects  on  the  coat  hook s. All  of
these  items  could  become  projectiles  and  may  cause  death  or  ser ious
injury, should the SRS curtain shield airbags deploy.
● If  a  vinyl  cover  is  put  on  the  area  where  the  SRS  driver  knee  a irbag  will
deploy, be sure to remove it.
● Do  not  use  seat  accessories  which  cover  the  parts  where  the  SRS  side
airbags  and  SRS  seat  cushion  airbags  inflate  as  they  may  interf ere  with
inflation  of  the  SRS  airbags.  Such  accessories  may  prevent  the  side  air-
bags  and  seat  cushion  airbags  from  activating  correctly,  disable  the  sys-
tem  or  cause  the  side  airbags  and  seat  cushion  airbags  to  infla te
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
● Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area  of the SRS air-
bag components. 
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
● Do  not  touch  any  of  the  component  parts  immediately  after  the  S RS  air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
● Do not attach anything to areas such as
a  door,  windshield  glass,  side  door
glass,  front  or  rear  pillar,  roof  side  rail
and assist grip.
● Vehicles  without  a  smart  key  system:
Do  not  attach  any  heavy,  sharp  or  hard
objects  such  as  keys  and  accessories
to  the  key.  The  objects  may  restrict  the
SRS  driver  knee  airbag  inflation  or  be
thrust  into  the  driver’s  seat  area  by  the
force of the deploying airbag, thus caus-
ing a danger. 
     
        
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WARNING
■SRS airbag precautions
● If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deplo yed, open a
door  or  window  to  allow  fresh  air  in,  or  leave  the  vehicle  if  i t  is  safe  to  do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin ir ritation. 
● If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad  and  front  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 t he sensor
from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, th e SRS front
airbags for the front passenger may not deploy in the event of  a collision.
■ Modification and disposal of  SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting your Toyota dealer. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.
● Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbag s.
● Repairs,  modifications,  removal  or  replacement  of  the  steering  wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, s ide 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  bars,  kangaroo  bar,  etc.),   snow  plows,
winches, or roof luggage carrier.
● Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system.
● Installation  of  electronic  devices  such  as  mobile  two-way  radio s  and  CD
players.
● Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disa bility. 
     
        
        Page 52 of 596
521-1. For safe use
PRIUS c_U
SRS warning light
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” indicator light
Seat belt reminder light
Front passenger occupant classification 
system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classi -
fication  system.  This  system  det ects  the  conditions  of  the  front
passenger seat and activates or deactivates the front passenger
airbag and seat cushion airbag  in the front passenger side.
U.S.A. Canada
1
2
3
4 
     
        
        Page 53 of 596
531-1. For safe use
1
For safety and security
PRIUS c_U■
Adult*1
■Child*4
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classi-
fication system
Indicator/ 
warning light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”  indicator lights“AIR BAG ON”
SRS warning lightOff
Seat belt reminder light
Off*2
or 
flashing
*3
Devices
Front passenger airbagActivated
Seat cushion airbag in the front  passenger sideActivated*2
or 
deactivated
*3
Indicator/
warning light
“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF”  indicator lights“AIR BAG OFF” 
or 
“AIR BAG ON”
*4
SRS warning lightOff
Seat belt reminder light
Off*2 
or 
flashing
*3
Devices
Front passenger airbagDeactivated or  activated
*4
Seat cushion airbag in the front  passenger sideDeactivated or 
activated
*4, 2