SEAT BELTS, SRS AND CHILD RESTRAINTS

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SEAT BELTSSeat belt precautionsLexus recommends that the driver and passengers in thevehicle be properly restrained at all times with the seat beltsprovided. Failure to do so could increase the chance of injuryand/or the severity of injury in accidents.Baby or small child. Use a child restraint system which fitsyour vehicle. See “Child restraint” for details.Child. If a child is too large for a child restraint system, thechild should sit in the rear seat and must be restrained usingthe vehicle’s seat belt. According to accident statistics, thechild is safer when properly restrained in the rear seat thanin the front seat. Do not allow the child to stand up or kneelon either rear or front seats. If the shoulder belt falls acrossthe child’s neck or face, move the child to the center positionand use the center lap belt.Pregnant woman. Lexus recommends the use of a seatbelt. Ask your doctor for specific recommendations. The lapbelt should be worn securely and as low as possible over thehips and not on the waist.Injured person. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.Depending on the injury, however, first check with yourdoctor for specific recommendations.

CAUTION!Persons should ride in their seats properly wearingtheir seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.Otherwise, they are much more likely to sufferserious bodily injury in the event of sudden brakingor a collision.When using the seat belts, observe the following:� Use the belt for only one person at a time. Do not

use a single belt for two or more people – evenchildren.

� Avoid reclining the seatbacks too much. The seatbelts provide maximum protection when theseatbacks are in the upright position. (See“Adjusting seatback angle.”)

� Be careful not to damage the belt webbing orhardware. Take care that they do not get caught orpinched in the seat or doors.

� Inspect the belt system periodically. Check forcuts, fraying, and loose parts. Damaged partsshould be replaced. Do not disassemble or modifythe system.

� Keep the belts clean and dry. If they need cleaning,use a mild soap solution or lukewarm water. Neveruse bleach, dye, or abrasive cleaners – they mayseverely weaken the belts.

� Replace the belt assembly (including bolts) if it hasbeen used in a severe impact. The entire assemblyshould be replaced even if damage is not obvious.

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Front seat belts

Adjust the seat as needed and sit up straight and wellback in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it out of theretractor and insert the tab into the buckle.You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.The seat belt length automatically adjusts to your size andthe seat position.The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or onimpact. It may also lock if you lean forward too quickly. Aslow, easy motion will allow the belt to extend, and you canmove around freely.When a passenger’s shoulder belt is completely extendedand is then retracted even slightly, the belt is locked in thatposition and cannot be extended. This feature is used to holdthe child restraint system securely. (For details, see “Childrestraint” on page 66.) To free the belt again, fully retract thebelt and then pull the belt out once more.

If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, firmly pullthe belt and release it. You will then be able to smoothly pullthe belt out of the retractor.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked and that the belt is not twisted.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

Adjust the position of the lap and shoulder belts.Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips – not onyour waist, then adjust it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulderportion upward through the latch plate.

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CAUTION!� High–positioned lap belts and loose–fitting belts

both could increase the chance of injury due tosliding under the lap belt during an accident. Keepthe lap belt as low on your hip bone as possible.

� For your safety, do not place the shoulder beltunder your arm.

Adjust the shoulder anchor position to your size.To raise the anchor position, push the anchor up. To lowerthe anchor position, support the anchor while you push thelock release button then slide the anchor down. Afteradjustment, make sure the anchor is locked in position.

CAUTION!Always be sure that the belt is positioned across thecenter of your shoulder. The belt should be keptaway from your neck, but not falling off yourshoulder. Failure to do so could reduce the amountof protection in an accident and increase the chanceof injury.

To release the belt, press the buckle release button andallow the belt to retract.If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull it out and check forkinks or twists. Then make sure it remains untwisted as itretracts.

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Rear outside seat belts

Sit up straight and well back in the seat. To fasten yourbelt, pull it out of the retractor and insert the tab into thebuckle.You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.The seat belt length automatically adjusts to your size.The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or onimpact. It also may lock if you lean forward too quickly. Aslow, easy motion will allow the belt to extend, and you canmove around freely. When a shoulder belt is completelyextended and is then retracted even slightly, the belt islocked in that position and cannot be extended. This featureis used to hold the child restraint system securely. (Fordetails, see “Child restraint” on page 66.)To free the belt again, fully retract the belt and then pull thebelt out once more.

If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, firmly pullthe belt and release it. You will then be able to smoothly pullthe belt out of the retractor.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked and that the belt is not twisted.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

Adjust the position of the lap and shoulder belts.Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips – not onyour waist, then adjust it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulderportion upward through the latch plate.

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CAUTION!

� High–positioned lap belts and loose–fitting beltsboth could increase the chance of injury due tosliding under the lap belt during an accident. Keepthe lap belt as low on your hip bone as possible.

� For your safety, do not place the shoulder beltunder your arm.

To release the belt, press the buckle release button andallow the belt to retract.If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull it out and check forkinks or twists. Then make sure it remains untwisted as itretracts.

Rear center seat belt

Sit up straight and well back in the seat. To fasten yourbelt, insert the tab into the buckle.You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.If the belt is not long enough for you, hold the tab at a rightangle to the belt and pull on the tab.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked and that the belt is not twisted.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

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Remove excess length of the belt and adjust the beltposition.To shorten the belt, pull the free end of the belt.Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips – not onyour waist, then adjust it to a snug fit.

CAUTION!

High–positioned and loose–fitting lap belts couldincrease the chance of injury due to sliding underthe lap belt during an accident. Keep the lap belt aslow on your hip bone as possible.

To release the belt, press the buckle release button.Seat belt extenderIf your seat belt cannot be fastened securely because it is notlong enough, a personalized seat belt extender is availablefrom your Lexus dealer free of charge.Please contact your local Lexus dealer so that the dealer canorder the proper required length for the extender. Bring theheaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurementand selection of length. Additional ordering information isavailable at your Lexus dealer.

CAUTION!When using the seat belt extender, observe thefollowing. Failure to follow these instructions couldresult in less effectiveness of the seat belt restraintsystem in case of vehicle accident, increasing thechance of personal injury.

� Never use the seat belt extender if you can fastenthe seat belt without it.

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� Remember that the extender provided for you maynot be safe when used on a different vehicle, or foranother person or at a different seating positionthan the one originally intended for.

To connect the extender to the seat belt, insert the tabinto the seat belt buckle so that the “PRESS” signs onthe buckle release buttons of the extender and the seatbelt are both facing outward as shown.You will hear a click when the tab locks into the buckle.When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle releasebutton on the extender, not on the seat belt. This helpsprevent damage to the vehicle interior and extender itself.When not in use, remove the extender and store in thevehicle for future use.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked and that the belt is not twisted.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

SRS AIRBAGSThe SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags aredesigned to provide further protection to the driver andfront passenger when added to the primary protectionprovided by the seat belts.

In response to a severe frontal impact, the SRS airbagswork together with the seat belts to prevent or reduceinjury by inflating, in order to decrease the likelihood ofthe driver’s or front passenger’s head or face directlyhitting the steering wheel or dashboard.The passenger airbag is activated even with no passengerin the front seat.

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This indicator comes on when the ignition key is turnedto the “ACC” or “ON” position. It goes off after about 6seconds. This means the SRS airbags are operatingproperly.The SRS airbag warning light system monitors the frontairbag sensors, center airbag sensor assembly, inflators,warning light, interconnecting wiring and power sources.

The SRS airbag system is designed to activate inresponse to a severe frontal impact within the shadedarea between the arrows in the illustration.The SRS airbags will deploy if the severity of the impact isabove the designed threshold level, comparable to anapproximate 20 km/h (14 mph) collision when impactingstraight into a fixed barrier that does not move or deform.If the severity of the impact is below the above thresholdlevel, the SRS airbags may not deploy.However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higherif the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle orsign pole, which can move or deform on impact, or if it isinvolved in an underride collision (a collision in which thenose of the vehicle “underrides,” or goes under, the bed ofa truck).It is possible with collision severity at the marginal level ofairbag sensor detection and activation that only one of yourvehicle’s two airbags will deploy.

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For your safety, be sure to always wear your seat belts.

The SRS airbags are not designed to inflate if thevehicle is subjected to a side or rear impact, if it rollsover, or if it is involved in a low–speed frontal collision.

The center airbag sensor assembly consists of a safingsensor and center airbag sensor.

In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect deceleration andthe system triggers the airbag inflators. Then a chemicalreaction in the inflators momentarily fills the airbags withnon–toxic nitrogen gas to help restrain the forward motion ofthe occupants.When the airbags inflate, they produce a fairly loud noise andrelease some smoke along with nitrogen gas. This is notharmful and does not indicate a fire. Be sure to wash off anyresidue as soon as possible to prevent minor skin irritation.Deployment of the airbags happens in a fraction of a second,so the airbags must inflate with considerable force. While thesystem is designed to reduce serious injuries, it may alsocause minor burns or abrasions and swellings.Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard)may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags themselveswill not be hot. The airbags are designed to operate onlyonce.A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may break thewindshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with apassenger airbag the windshield may also be damaged byabsorbing some of the force of the inflating airbag.

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CAUTION!

� The SRS airbag system is designed only as asupplement to the primary protection of the seatbelt systems of the driver and front passenger. Thefront seat occupants are particularly susceptible toinjury if they do not wear their seat belts; whensudden braking or a collision occurs, they may bethrown forward. To obtain further protection in anaccident, the driver and all passengers in thevehicle should always wear their seat belts whendriving. For instructions and precautionsconcerning the seat belt system, see “Seat belts”on page 54.

� A baby or small child who is too small to use a seatbelt should be properly secured in a rear seat usinga child restraint system.

� Do not use a rear–facing child restraint system inthe front seat because the force of the rapidinflation of the passenger airbag may cause severeinjury to the child. Vehicles with a passengerairbag display a caution label on the passengerside instrument panel as shown above to remindyou not to install a rear–facing child restraintsystem on the front seat.

� When using a forward–facing child restraintsystem in the front seat, the seat must be moved asfar back as possible. For instructions concerningthe installation of a child restraint system, see“Child restraint” on page 66.

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� Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean over thedashboard when the vehicle is in use. The airbagsinflate with considerable speed and force; you maybe severely injured. Sit up straight and well back inthe seat, and always use your seat belt.

� Do not allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on thefront passenger seat. The airbag inflates withconsiderable speed and force; the child may beseverely injured.

� Do not hold a child on your lap or in your arms. Usea child restraint system in the rear seat. Forinstructions concerning the installation of a childrestraint system, see “Child restraint” on page 66.

� Do not put objects on or in front of the dashboardor steering wheel pad that houses the airbagsystem. They might restrict inflation or causepersonal injury as they are projected rearward.

� Do not modify, remove or open any component orwiring, such as the steering wheel, column cover,front passenger airbag cover, front passengerairbag, center airbag sensor assembly or frontairbag sensors. Doing any of these may causesudden SRS airbag inflation or disable the system,which could result in personal injury.

Failure to follow these instructions can result insevere injuries.

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NOTICE

Do not perform any of the following changeswithout consulting your Lexus dealer. Suchchanges can interfere with proper operation of theSRS airbag system in some cases.

� Installation of electronic items such as a mobiletwo–way radio, cassette tape player or compactdisc player.

� Modification of the suspension system.� Modification of the front end structure.� Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo

bar, etc.), snow plow, winches or any otherequipment to the front end.

� Repairs made on or near the front fenders,console, steering column, steering wheel ordashboard near the front passenger airbag.

This SRS airbag system has a service reminder indicator toinform the driver of operating problems. If either of thefollowing conditions occurs, this indicates a malfunction ofthe airbags. Contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possibleto service the vehicle.� The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned

to the “ACC” or “ON” position, or remains on.� The light comes on while driving.

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In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon aspossible:� The SRS airbags have been inflated.� The front part of the vehicle (shaded in the illustration) was

involved in an accident not of the extent to cause the SRSairbags to inflate.

� The pad section of the steering wheel or front passengerairbag cover (shaded in the illustration) is scratched,cracked, or otherwise damaged.

CHILD RESTRAINTChild restraint precautionsLexus strongly urges the use of child restraint systemfor children small enough to use it.The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A. and Canada nowrequire the use of a child restraint system.

CAUTION!

For effective protection in automobile accidents andsudden stops, children must be properly restrained.Holding a child in your arms is not a substitute fora child restraint system. In an accident, the child canbe crushed against the windshield, or between youand the vehicle’s interior if you are unrestrained.

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Child restraint systemA child restraint system for a small child or baby mustitself be properly restrained on the seat with either thelap belt or the lap portion of the lap/shoulder belt.The child restraint system should conform to the size of thechild and properly fit the vehicle seat. For greater safety, thechild restraint system should be installed on the rear seat.According to accident statistics, children are safer whenproperly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.When installing a child restraint system, refer to theinstructions provided by its manufacturer and follow thedirections under the following illustrations.

CAUTION!

After installing a child restraint system, make sureit is secured in place. If it is not restrained securely,it may cause injury to the child in the event of asudden stop or accident.

When not using the child restraint system, keep it securedwith the seat belt or place it in the trunk or somewhere otherthan in the passenger compartment. This will prevent itinjuring passengers in the event of a sudden stop oraccident.

Top strap anchors and locations

Your vehicle has anchors for securing the strap of a childrestraint system. The anchor nuts are welded beneath thesheet metal to permit installation of an anchor bracket for achild restraint system.To install an anchor bracket, use an 8 mm X 30 mm X 1.25mm coarse thread metric bolt and a 15 mm (0.6 in.) spacerfor the outer anchors or a 10 mm (0.4 in.) spacer for thecenter anchor. Note that the bolts accompanying many childrestraint systems are not metric. You can damage theanchor nuts on your vehicle if you force bolts with differentthread into the anchor nuts.If your child restraint system does not provide any of thenecessary parts, you can purchase the following items fromyour Lexus dealer.

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� CRS installation kit (Part No. 04731–22012)– contains 1 bolt, 3 types of spacer and 1 locking clip.

� Bolt (Part No. 91511–60830)

1. Run your fingers across the trim of the filler panel tolocate the holes underneath it in the positions shown above.2. Make a hole in the covering directly above the hole in thefiller panel.

3. Insert a 15 mm (0.6 in.) spacer for either outside anchoror a 10 mm (0.4 in.) spacer for the center anchor, and tightendown the anchor bracket for your child restraint system witha bolt. Torque the bolt to 16.5 – 24.7 N·m (1.68 – 2.52 kgf·m,12.2 – 18.2 ft·lbf).To comply with the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,vehicles sold in Canada are provided with a bracket set in theglovebox, designed for use with any of three anchorlocations shown in the illustration. If you want to install thebracket set on either outer anchor, replace the spacer (PartNo. 90560–08064) with one that is 15 mm (0.6 in.) thick. Thiscan be purchased from your Lexus dealer.

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INSTALLATION ON CENTER REAR SEAT

When installing a rear–facing child restraint system, followthe same procedure as when installing a forward–facingchild restraint system.

1. Fasten the center lap belt over the child restraint systemfollowing the instructions provided by its manufacturer.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

2. Make sure the belt is tight by pulling its free end while youfirmly push down the child restraint system.

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3. If your child restraint system requires the use of a topstrap, latch the hook onto the anchor bracket and tighten thetop strap.

CAUTION!

Push and pull the child restraint system in differentdirections to make sure it is secure.

4. To remove the child restraint system, press thebuckle–release button and unhook the top strap.

INSTALLATION ON OUTER REAR SEAT

When installing a rear–facing child restraint system, followthe same procedure as when installing a forward–facingchild restraint system.

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1. Fasten the lap and shoulder belt over the child restraintsystem following the instructions provided by itsmanufacturer. Keep the lap portion of the belt tight.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it in the lock mode.

3. Place the shoulder belt between the vehicle seatbackand the child restraint system and allow it to retract. To holdthe child restraint system securely, let the shoulder beltretract as far as it will go while firmly pushing down the childrestraint system.

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4. If your child restraint system requires the use of a topstrap, latch the hook onto the anchor bracket and tighten thetop strap.

CAUTION!Make sure the seat belt is securely locked. Alsomake sure the child restraint is secure by pushingand pulling it in different directions.

5. To remove the child restraint system, press thebuckle–release button and allow the belt to retract. Unhookthe top strap.INSTALLATION ON FRONT SEAT

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CAUTION!� Do not use a rear–facing child restraint system in

the front seat because the force of the rapidinflation of the p assenger airbag may cause severeinjury to the child. V ehicles with a passenger airbagdisplay a caution label on the passenger sideinsrument panel as shown above to remind you notto install a rear–facing child restraint system on thefront seat.

� When using a forward–facing child restraintsystem. move the seat as far back as possible.

1. Fasten the lap and shoulder belt over the child restraintsystem following the instructions provided by itsmanufacturer. Keep the lap portion of the belt tight.

CAUTION!

� After inserting the tab, make sure the tab andbuckle are locked.

� Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as thismay prevent you from properly latching the tab andbuckle.

� If the seat belt does not function normally,immediately contact your Lexus dealer.

2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it in the lock mode.

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3. Place the shoulder belt between the vehicle seatbackand child restraint system and allow it to retract. To hold thechild restraint system securely, let the shoulder belt retractas far as it will go while firmly pushing down the child restraintsystem.

4. If your child restraint system requires the use of a topstrap, latch the hook onto the tab of the rear center seat beltand tighten the top strap.

CAUTION!

Make sure the seat belt is securely locked. Also makesure the child restraint is secure by pushing andpulling it in different directions.

5. To remove the child restraint system, press thebuckle–release button and allow the belt to retract. Unhookthe top strap.