LEXUS LS430 2005 Owners Manual

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
172
16L290
To release the belt, press the buckle release button and
allow the belt to retract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull it out and check for
kinks or twists. Then make sure it remains untwisted as it
retracts.
Seat belt comfort guides
16L291B
The seat belt comfort guides are installed on the outboard
rear seats to relieve uncomfortableness from the
shoulder belt when it is applied closer to a child’s neck (at
the age of 10 or so), by pulling the shoulder belt a little
forward.
Slide the seat belt comfort guide forward to adjust the
shoulder belt.
The seat belt comfort guide should not be in the forward
position for other purposes.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
173
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of the child’s shoulder. The belt
should be kept away from the child’s neck, and should
not fall off the child’s shoulder. Failure to observe these
precautions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt in an accident, causing death or serious injury.
Seat belt extender
If your seat belts cannot be fastened securely because they
are not long enough, a personalized seat belt extender is
available from your Lexus dealer free of charge.
Please contact your local Lexus dealer so that the dealer can
order the proper required length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering information is available
at your Lexus dealer.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender, observe the
following precautions. Failure to follow these
instructions could reduce the effectiveness of the seat
belt restraint system in case of an accident, increasing
the chance of personal injury.
 Remember that the extender provided for you may
not be safe when used on a different vehicle, for
another person, or at a different seating position than
the one originally intended.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
174
16L625
If the seat belt extender has been connected 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,
causing death or serious injury in the event of a colli-
sion. Be sure to wear the seat belt with the seat belt
extender. Otherwise, there will also not be any effec-
tive protection in a sudden stop or a collision pro-
vided by the seat belt.
 Be sure to wear the seat belt without the seat belt
extender if you can fasten the seat belt without the
extender.
 Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a
child restraint system on the front or rear passenger
seat. If installing a child restraint system with the
seat belt extender connected to the seat belt, the seat
belt will not securely hold the child restraint system,
which could cause death or serious injury to the child
or other passengers in the event of collision.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
175
16L292
To connect the extender to the seat belt, insert the tab into
the seat belt buckle so that the “PRESS” signs on the
buckle release buttons of the extender and the seat belt
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 release
button on the extender, not on the seat belt. This helps prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extender itself.
When not in use, remove the extender and store in the vehicle
for future use.
CAUTION
 After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the lap and shoulder portions of
the belt and the seat belt extender are not twisted.
 Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in the buckle as this
may prevent you from properly latching the tab and
buckle.
 If the seat belt does not function normally,
immediately contact your Lexus dealer. Do not use
the seat until the seat belt is fixed, because it cannot
protect an adult occupant or your child from injury.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
176
Seat belt pretensioners
16L645
Both front seats and the two outboard rear seats are
equipped with seat belt pretensioners and are designed to
be activated in response to a severe frontal impact.
When the sensor detects a severe frontal impact, the seat belts
are quickly drawn back by the retractor so that the belts snugly
restrain the seat occupants.
The front passenger seat belt pretensioner will not activate if
there is no passenger sitting in the front passenger seat.
However, the front passenger seat belt pretensioner may
activate if luggage is put in the seat, or the seat belt is buckled
up regardless of the presence of the occupant in the seat.
The outboard rear seat belt pretensioners are activated even
with no passengers in the outboard rear seats.
The seat belt pretensioners and SRS airbags may not operate
together in all collisions.
16L649a
 1 Front airbag sensors
2Occupant detection sensor
3Front passenger’s seat belt buckle switch
4Front seat belt pretensioner assembly
5SRS warning light
6Rear seat belt pretensioner assembly
7Airbag sensor assembly
The seat belt pretensioner system consists mainly of the
above components, and their locations are shown in the
illustration.
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled by the airbag sensor
assembly. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing
sensor and airbag sensor.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
177
When the seat belt pretensioners are activated, an operating
noise
may be heard and a small amount of non −toxic gas may
be released. This does not indicate that a fire is occurring. This
gas is normally harmless.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have been activated, the seat
belt retractors remain locked.
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open the seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, airbag sensor or surrounding
area or wiring. Failure to follow these instructions may
prevent the seat belt pretensioners from activating
correctly, cause sudden operation of the system or
disable the system, which could result in death or
serious injury. Consult your Lexus dealer about any
repair and modification.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the seat belt
pretensioners in some cases.
 Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile
twoway radio, cassette tape player or CD player.
 Repairs on or near the seat belt retractor assemblies.
 Modification of the suspension system.
 Modification of the front end structure.
 Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,
etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment to
the front end.
 Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front end
structure or console.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
178
16L330b
This indicator comes on when the ignition switch is turned
to the “ON” position. It goes off after about 6 seconds.
This means the seat belt pretensioners are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side and curtain shield airbag
sensor assemblies, curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies,
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat belt buckle switch,
occupant detection sensor, front passenger’s seat belt buckle
switch, seat belt pretensioner assemblies, inflators, warning
light, interconnecting wiring and power sources. (For details,
see “Service reminder indicators and warning buzzers” on
page 82.) If any of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the airbags or seat belt pretensioners. Contact
your Lexus dealer as soon as possible.

When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position, the
light does not come on or remains on for more than 6
seconds.
 The light comes on while driving.
 If any seat belt does not retract or cannot be pulled out due
to a malfunction or activation of the relevant seat belt
pretensioner.
 The seat belt pretensioner assembly or surrounding area
has been damaged.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
179
16L650
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
The front of the vehicle (shaded in the illustration) was
involved in an accident that was not severe enough to cause
the seat belt pretensioners to operate.
 The seat belt pretensioner assembly or surrounding area is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
SRS DRIVER AIRBAGS AND FRONT
PASSENGER AIRBAGS
16L336a
 1Driver airbag 2Front passenger airbag
3Front passenger knee airbag 4
Driver knee airbag
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) front airbags
are designed to provide further protection for the driver
and front passenger in addition to the primary safety
protection provided by the seat belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact, the SRS front airbags
work together with the seat be lts to help reduce injury by
inflating. The SRS front airbags help reduce injuries mainly to
the driver’s or front passenger’s head, chest or knees caused
by hitting the vehicle interior.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
180The SRS front passenger airbag will not activate if there is no
passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the
front
passenger airbag may deploy if luggage is put in the seat,
or the seat belt is buckled up, regardless of the presence of an
occupant in the seat.
Always wear your seat belt properly.
CAUTION
 The SRS front airbag system is designed only as a
supplement to the primary protection of the driver
and front passenger seat belt systems. The driver
and front passenger can be killed or seriously injured
by the inflating airbags if they do not wear the
available seat belts properly . During sudden braking
just before a collision, an unrestrained driver or front
passenger can move forward into direct contact with
or close proximity to the airbag which may then
deploy during the collision. To ensure maximum
protection in an accident, the driver and all
passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly. Wearing a seat belt properly during an
accident reduces the chances of death or serious
injury or being thrown out of the vehicle. For
instructions and precautions concerning the seat
belt system, see “Seat belts” on page 168.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
181
Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and
children can be killed or seriously injured by the
deploying airbags. 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 seat of the vehicle and properly restrained.
The rear seat is the safest for infants and children.
For instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see “Child restraint” on page 199 .The SRS front airbags are designed to deploy in severe
(usually frontal) collisions where the magnitude and
duration of the forward deceleration of the vehicle
exceeds the designed threshold level.
The SRS front airbags will deploy if the severity of the impact
is above the designed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision when the vehicle has
the impact straight into a fixed barrier 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 vehicle is very close to the designed
threshold level, the SRS front airbags and the seat belt
pretensioners may not activate together.
Always wear your seat belts properly.