passenger LEXUS LS430 2005 Owner's Manual

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
161
Adjusting front passenger’s seat from the
driver’s seat
16L266a
Seat position
Move the control switch in the desired direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seat in that position. Do not
place anything under the seat as this might interfere with the
seat movement.
CAUTION
If you operate the switch when a front passenger is
seated or he/she is getting on or off the front passenger
seat, take full safety precautions beforehand by telling
the occupant that the seat is about to move.
16L265a
 Seatback angle
Move the control switch in the desired direction.
Releasing the switch will stop the seatback in that position.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
162
CAUTION
If you operate the switch when an occupant is seated
or when he/she is getting on or off the front
passenger seat, take full safety precautions
beforehand by telling the occupant that the seat is
about to move.
 Avoid reclining the seatback any more than needed.
The seat belts provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the front passenger is
sitting up straight and well back in the seats. If he/she
is reclined, the lap belt may slide past his/her hips
and apply restraint forces directly to the abdomen or
his/her neck may contact the shoulder belt. In the
event of a frontal collision, the more the seat is
reclined, the greater the risk of death or personal
injury.
REAR SEATS
Adjusting rear power seats
16L630
 1
Seat position control switches
2Head restraint height control switches
3Refreshing rear seat switches
The rear power seat control switches are located in the rear
armrest.
For the operation of head restraints and refreshing rear seat
switches, see “Head restraints” on page 165 and “Refreshing
rear seat switches” on page 76.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
168
SEAT BELTS
Seat belt precautions
Lexus strongly urges that the driver and passengers in the
vehicle be properly restrained at all times with the seat belts
provided. Failure to do so could increase the chance of injury
and/or the severity of injury in accidents.
The seat belts provided for your vehicle are designed for
people of adult size, large enough to properly wear them.
Child. Use a child restraint system appropriate for the child
until the child becomes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle’s seat belts. See “Child restraint” on page 199 for
details.
If a child is too large for a child restraint system, the child should
sit in the rear seat and must be restrained using the vehicle’s
seat belt. According to accident statistics, the child is safer
when properly restrained in the rear seat than in the front seat.
If a child must sit in the front seat, the seat belts should be worn
properly. If an accident occurs and the seat belts are not worn
properly, the force of the rapid inflation of the airbag may cause
death or serious injury to the child.
Do not allow any children to stand up or kneel on either rear or
front seats. An unrestrained child could suffer serious injury or
death during emergency braking or a collision. Also, do not let
the child sit on your lap. Holding a child in your arms does not
provide sufficient restraint. Pregnant
woman. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Ask your doctor for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as possible over the hips
and not on the waist.
Injured person. Lexus recommends the use of a seat belt.
Depending on the injury, first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.
CAUTION
Persons should ride in their seats properly wearing
their seat belts whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, they are much more likely to suffer serious
bodily injury or death in the event of sudden braking or
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 even children.
 Avoid reclining the seatback any more than needed.
The seat belts provide maximum protection in a
frontal or rear collision when the driver and the front
passenger are sitting up straight and well back in the
seats. If you are reclined, the lap belt may slide past
your hips and apply restraint forces directly to the
abdomen or your neck may contact the shoulder belt.
In the event of a frontal collision, the more the seat is
reclined, the greater the risk of death or personal
injury.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
169
Be careful not to damage the belt webbing or
hardware. Take care that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or doors.
 Inspect the belt system periodically. Check for cuts,
fraying, and loose parts. Damaged parts should be
replaced. Do not disassemble or modify the system.
 Keep the belts clean and dry. If they need cleaning,
use a mild soap solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive cleaners, or allow them
to come into contact with the belt they may severely
weaken the belts. (See “Cleaning the interior” on
page 515 for instructions.)
 Replace the belt assembly (including bolts) if it has
been used in a severe impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage is not obvious.Front seat belt buckle illumination
16L371
Opening the driver’s door lights up the driver’s seat belt
buckle for easy use. The same applies for the front
passenger’s door and seat belt buckle.
The light remains on for 15 seconds after the door is closed,
but goes off immediately when all the doors are locked.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
170
Fastening front and rear seat belts
16L287
Adjust the seat as needed and sit up straight and well back
in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it out of the retractor
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 and the
seat position.
The retractor will lock the belt during a sudden stop or on
impact. It also may lock if you lean forward too quickly. A slow,
easy motion will allow the belt to extend, and you can move
around freely. When a passenger’s shoulder belt is completely extended and
is then retracted even slightly,
the belt is locked in that position
and cannot be extended. This feature is used to hold the child
restraint system securely. (For details, see “Child restraint” on
page 199.) To free the belt again, fully retract the belt and then
pull the belt out once more.
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the retractor, firmly pull
the belt and release it. You will then be able to smoothly pull
the belt out of the retractor.
CAUTION
 After inserting the tab, make sure the tab and buckle
are locked and that the belt is 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
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
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
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.