belt TOYOTA AVALON 1997 User Guide

32
To release the belt, press the buckle-
release button and allow the belt to re-
tract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it re-
tracts.Sit up straight and well back in the
seat. To fasten your belt, 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 right angle to the belt and pull
on the tab.
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 Toyota dealer. Do not use the
seat until the seat belt is fixed. It
cannot protect an adult occupant
or your child from injury.
ÐFront center seat belt
(2-point type)
ProCarManuals.com

33
Remove excess length of the belt and
adjust the belt position.
To shorten the belt, pull the free end of the
belt.
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
you hips-not on your waist, then adjust it
to a snug fit.
CAUTION!
High-positioned and loose-fitting
lap belt could cause severe injuries
due to sliding under the lap belt dur-
ing a collision. Keep the lap belt
positioned as low on hips as pos-
sible.
To release the belt, press the buckle-
release button.The front center seat belts can be
stowed when not in use.
ÐStowing the front center
seat belt
ProCarManuals.com

34If your seat belt cannot be fastened se-
curely because it is not long enough, a
personalized seatbelt extender is avail-
able from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer
so that the dealer can order the proper re-
quired length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest
coat you expect to wear for prop-
er measurement and selection of length.
Additional ordering information is avail-
able at your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION!
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following. Failure to fol-
low these instructions could result
in less effectiveness of the seat belt
restraint system in case of vehicle
accident, increasing the chance of
personal injury.

Never use the seat belt extender if
you can fasten the seat belt with-
out it.

Remember that the extender pro-
vided for your may not be safe
when used on a different vehicle,
or for another person or at a differ-
ent seating position than the one
originally intended for.
To connect the extender to the seat
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt
buckle so that the PRESSº signs on
the buckle-release buttons of the ex-
tender 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 extend-
er itself.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
ÐSeat belt extender
ProCarManuals.com

35

After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the seat belt extender 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 Toyota dealer.
CAUTION!
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) airbags are designed to provide
further protection to occupants in the
following seats when added to the pri-
mary protection provided by the seat
belts.

Vehicles with separate front seats-
The SRS airbags are designed to pro-
tect the driver and front passenger.

Vehicles with bench front seats-The
SRS airbags are designed to protect
the driver and right-front passenger.
They are not designed to protect occu-
pant in the center position. In response to a severe frontal impact, the
SRS airbags work together with the seat
belts to help preventing or reduce injury by
inflating, in order to decrease the likeli-
hood of the driver's or front passenger's
head or chest directly hitting the steering
wheel or dashboard. The passenger air-
bag is activated even with no passenger
in the front seat.
SRS airbags
ProCarManuals.com

36
This indicator comes on when the
ignition key is turned to the ACCº or
ONº position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbags
are operating properly.
The SRS airbag warning light system
monitors the airbag sensor assembly, in-
flators, warning light, interconnecting wir-
ing and power sources.The SRS airbag system is designed to
activate in response to a severe frontal
impact within the shaded area be-
tween the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will deploy if the severity
of the impact is above the designed
threshold level, comparable to an approxi-
mate 20 km/h (14 mph) collision when im-
pacting straight into a fixed barrier that
does not move or deform.
If the severity of the impact is below the
above threshold level, the SRS airbags
may not deploy. 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 im-
pact, or if it is
involved in an underride col-
lision (e.g. a collision in which the noise of
the vehicle underridesº, or goes under,
the bed of a truck).
It is possible with collision severity at the
marginal level of airbag sensor detection
and activation that only one of your ve-
hicle's two airbags will deploy.
For the safety of all occupants, be sure to
always wear seat belts.
ProCarManuals.com

38
CAUTION!

The SRS airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the prima-
ry protection of the seat belt sys-
tems. The front seat occupants are
particularly susceptible to injury if
they do not wear their seat belts;
when sudden braking or a collision
occurs, they may be thrown for-
ward. To obtain maximum protec-
tion in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle
should always wear their seat belts
when driving because serious in-
juries can result to unrestrained
occupants. For instructions and
precautions concerning the seat
belt system, see Seat beltsº in this
chapter.

A baby or small child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured in a rear seat us-
ing a child restraint system.

Never use a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front seat be-
cause the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the passenger airbag can
cause severe injury to the child.
Only when it is unavoidable should
a forward-facing child restraint
system be used on the front seat.
Always move the seat as far back as
possible because the force of de-
ploying airbag would cause seri-
ous injury to the child. For instruc-
tions concerning the installation of
the child restraint system, see
Child restraintº in this chapter.
ProCarManuals.com

39

Do not sit on the edge of the seat
or lean over the dashboard when
the vehicle is in use. The airbags
inflate with considerable speed
and force; you may be severely in-
jured. Sit up straight and well back
in the seat, and always use your
seat belt.
Do not allow a child to stand up, or
to kneel on the front passenger
seat. The airbag inflates with con-
siderable speed and force; the
child may be severely injured.

Do not hold a child on your lap or
in your arms. Use a child restraint
system in the rear seat. For in-
structions concerning the installa-
tion of a child restraint system, see
Child restraintº in this chapter.
Do not put objects on or in front of
the dashboard or steering wheel
pad that houses the airbag sys-
tem. They might restrict inflation
or cause serious injury as they are
projected rearward.
ProCarManuals.com

41
In the following cases, contact your Toyo-
ta dealer as soon as possible:

The SRS airbags have been inflated.

The front part of the vehicle (shaded in
the illustration) was involved in an ac-
cident not of the extent to cause the
SRS airbags to inflate

The pad section of the steering wheel or
front passenger airbag cover (shaded in
the illustration) is scratched, cracked, or
otherwise damaged. Toyota strongly urges the use of child
restraint systems for children small
enough to use them.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A.
and Canada now require the use of a child
restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAEJ1819.
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. See Seat beltsº for details.CAUTION!

For effective protection in automo-
bile accidents and sudden stops,
children must be properly re-
strained using a seat belt or child
restraint system depending on the
age and size of the child. Holding
a child in your arms is not a substi-
tute for a child restraint system. In
an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or
between you and the vehicle's in-
terior.

Toyota strongly urges use of a
proper child restraint system
which conforms to the size of the
child and is put on the rear seat.
According to accident statistics,
the child is safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.

Never install a r ear-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat. In
the event of an accident, the force
of the rapid inflation of the airbag
can cause severe injury if a rear-
facing child restraint system is put
on the front seat.

Unless it is unavoidable, do not
put a forward-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat.

If you must install a forward-fac-
ing child restraint system on the
front seat, move the seat as far
back as possible.

Make sure that you have complied
with all installation instructions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system
is properly secured.
Child restraintÐ
ÐChild restraint precautions
ProCarManuals.com

41
In the following cases, contact your Toyo-
ta dealer as soon as possible:

The SRS airbags have been inflated.

The front part of the vehicle (shaded in
the illustration) was involved in an ac-
cident not of the extent to cause the
SRS airbags to inflate

The pad section of the steering wheel or
front passenger airbag cover (shaded in
the illustration) is scratched, cracked, or
otherwise damaged. Toyota strongly urges the use of child
restraint systems for children small
enough to use them.
The laws of all fifty states in the U.S.A.
and Canada now require the use of a child
restraint system.
Your vehicle conforms to SAEJ1819.
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. See Seat beltsº for details.CAUTION!

For effective protection in automo-
bile accidents and sudden stops,
children must be properly re-
strained using a seat belt or child
restraint system depending on the
age and size of the child. Holding
a child in your arms is not a substi-
tute for a child restraint system. In
an accident, the child can be
crushed against the windshield, or
between you and the vehicle's in-
terior.

Toyota strongly urges use of a
proper child restraint system
which conforms to the size of the
child and is put on the rear seat.
According to accident statistics,
the child is safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seat than in the
front seat.

Never install a rea r-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat. In
the event of an accident, the force
of the rapid inflation of the airbag
can cause severe injury if a rear-
facing child restraint system is put
on the front seat.

Unless it is unavoidable, do not
put a forward-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat.

If you must install a forward-fac-
ing child restraint system on the
front seat, move the seat as far
back as possible.

Make sure that you have complied
with all installation instructions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and that the system
is properly secured.
Child restraintÐ
ÐChild restraint precautions
ProCarManuals.com

42A child restraint system for a small
child or baby must itself be properly
restrained on the seat with either the
lap belt or the lap portion of the lap/
shoulder belt. You must carefully con-
sult the manufacturer's instructions
which accompany your child restraint
system.
To provide proper restraint, use a
child re-
straint system following the manufactur-
er's instructions about the appropriate
age and size of the child for the child re-
straint system.
Install the child restraint system correctly
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer of the system. General di-
rections are also provided under the fol-
lowing illustrations.
The child restraint system should be
installed on the rear seat. According to ac-
cident statistics, the child is safer when
properly restrained in the rear seat than in
the front seat.
CAUTION!

Never install a rear-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat. In
the event of an accident, the force
of the rapid inflation of the airbag
can cause serious injury if a rear-
facing child restraint system is
installed on the front seat.

Unless it is unavoidable, do not
install a forward-facing child re-
straint system on the front seat.

If you must install a forward-fac-
ing child restraint system on the
front seat, move the seat as far
back as possible.

After installing the child restraint
system, make sure it is secured in
place following the manufactur-
er's instructions. If it is not re-
strained securely, it may cause in-
jury to the child in the event of a
sudden stop or accident. When not using the child restraint system,
keep it secured with the seat belt. This
will
prevent it injuring passengers in the event
of a sudden stop or accident.
Your vehicle has anchors for securing the
top strap of a child restraint system. The
anchor nuts are welded beneath the sheet
metal to permit installation of an anchor
bracket for a child restraint system.
To install an anchor bracket, use an 8 mm
X 30 mm X 1.25 mm coarse thread metric
bolt and 15 mm (0.6 in.) spacer. Note that
the bolts accompanying many child re-
straint systems are not metric. You can
damage the anchor nuts on our vehicle if
you force bolts with different thread into
the anchor nuts.
For instructions about how to install the
anchor bracket, see Top strap anchors
and locations.º
If your child restraint system does not pro-
vide any of the necessary parts, you can
purchase the following items from your
Toyota dealer.
* CRS installation kit
(Part No. 04731-22012)Ðcontains 1
bolt, 3 types of spacers and 1 locking
clip.
* Bolt (Part No. 91511-60830)
ÐChild restraint system
ProCarManuals.com