seats Lexus ES330 2006 Starting and Driving / (OM33703U) User Guide

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxi
Rear seats
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, press the
lock release button and push the head restraint down.
The head restraint is most effective when it is close to your
head. Therefore, using a cushion on the seatback is not
recommended.
CAUTION
Adjust the center of the head restraint so that it is
closest to the top of your ears.
 After adjusting the head restraint, make sure it is
locked in position.
 Do not drive with the head restraints removed.
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 cxlvii 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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxiiPregnant 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.
 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 belts — they may
severely weaken the belts. (See “Cleaning the
interior” on page cdxviii 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.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxv
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
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 SYSTEM
cxix
Seat belt pretensioners
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 retractors so that the belts snugly
restrain the occupants.
The front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner will not activate
if no passenger is detected in the front passenger seat by the
front passenger occupant classification system. However, the
front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner may activate if
luggage is put on the seat, or the seat belt is buckled up
regardless of the presence of an occupant in the seat. (As for
the front passenger occupant classification system, see page
cxliii.) The outboard rear seat belt pretensioners are activated even
with no passenger in the outboard rear seats.
The seat belt pretensioners and SRS airbags may not operate
together in all collisions.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxxxiv
CAUTION
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system
is designed only as a supplement to the primary
protection of the driver, front passenger and rear
outboard passenger seat belt systems. 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 cxi.
 Do not allow anyone to lean his/her head or any part
of his/her body against the door or the area of the
seat, front pillar, rear pillar or roof side rail from which
the SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag deploy
even if he/she is a child seated in the child restraint
system. It is dangerous if the SRS side airbag and
curtain shield airbag inflate, and the impact of the
deploying airbag could cause death or serious injury
to the occupant.
 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 seats of the vehicle and properly
restrained. The rear seats are the safest for infants
and children. For instructions concerning the
installation of a child restraint system, see “Child
restraint” on page cxlvii.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxxxvii
When the airbags inflate, they produce a fairly loud noise and
release some smoke and residue along with non
−toxic gas.
This does not indicate a fire. This smoke may remain inside the
vehicle for some time, and may cause some minor irritation to
the eyes, skin or breathing. Be sure to wash off any residue as
soon as possible to prevent any potential skin irritation with
soap and water. If you can safely exit from the vehicle, you
should do so immediately.
Deployment of the airbags happens in a fraction of a second,
so the airbags must inflate with considerable force. While the
system is designed to reduce se rious injuries, it may also
cause minor burns or abrasions and swelling.
Front seats as well as parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof
side rail may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags
themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate
only once.
CAUTION
SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags inflate with
considerable force. To reduce the possibility of death
or serious injury when they inflate, the driver, front
passenger and rear outboard passengers must:
 Wear their seat belts properly.
 Remain properly seated with their backs upright and
against the seats at all times.
Do not allow anyone to lean against the door when
the vehicle is in use, since the side airbag and curtain
shield airbag could inflate with considerable speed
and force. Otherwise, he/she may be killed or
seriously injured. Special care should be taken
especially when you have a small child in the vehicle.
 Sit up straight and well back in the seat, distributing
your weight evenly in the seat. Do not apply
excessive weight to the outer side of the seats with a
side airbag and to the front pillar, rear pillar and roof
side rail with a curtain shield airbag.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxl
Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts
where the side airbags inflate. Such accessories may
prevent the side airbags from activating correctly,
causing death or serious injury.
 Do not modify or replace the seats or upholstery of
the seats with side airbags. Such changes may
prevent the side airbag system from activating
correctly, disable the system or cause the side
airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in death or
serious injury.
 Do not disassemble or repair the front and rear pillars
and roof side rail containing the curtain shield
airbags. Such changes may disable the system or
cause the curtain shield airbags to inflate
accidentally, resulting in death or serious injury.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death
or serious injury. Consult your Lexus dealer about any
repair and modification.
If you wish to modify your vehicle for a person with a
physical disability, consult your Lexus dealer. It may
dangerously interfere with the SRS side airbags and
curtain shield airbags operation.NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without
consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the SRS side airbag
and curtain shield airbag system in some cases.
 Installation of electronic devices such as a mobile
twoway radio, cassette tape player or CD player
 Modification of the suspension system
 Modification of the structure of the passenger
compartment
 Repairs made on or near the console or front seat

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxlii
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible:
Any of the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags have
been inflated.
 The portion of the doors (shaded in the illustration) was
involved in an accident that was not severe enough to cause
the SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags to inflate. 
The surface of the seats with the side airbag (shaded in the
illustration) is scratched, cracked, or otherwise damaged.
 The portion of the front pillars, rear pillars or roof side rail
garnishes (padding) containing the curtain shield airbags
inside (shaded in the illustration) is scratched, cracked, or
otherwise damaged.
NOTICE
Do not disconnect the battery cables before contacting
your Lexus dealer.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
cxlvii
When it is unavoidable to install the forwardfacing
child restraint system on the front passenger seat,
install the child restraint system on the front
passenger seat in the proper order. (As for the
installation order, see “Child restraint system” on
page cxlix.)
 Do not remove the seats.
 Do not kick the front passenger seat or subject it to
severe impact. Otherwise, the SRS warning light may
come on to indicate a malfunction of the detection
system. In this case, contact your Lexus dealer
immediately.
In addition to the precautions outlined above, the “AIRBAG
ON” indicator light may be illuminated when a child sits in the
front passenger seat or a forward −facing child restraint system
is installed on the front passenger seat. If the “AIRBAG OFF”
indicator light is not illuminated in these circumstances, the
front passenger airbag and side airbag on the front passenger
side are in activated condition — the airbags will deploy if an
impact meets the deployment criteria. Refer to all the cautions
in this Section and “Child restraint” on page cxlvii.
CHILD RESTRAINT
Child restraint precautions
Lexus strongly urges the use of appropriate child restraint
systems for children.
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 SAE J1819.
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 belts” on page cxi for details.
CAUTION
 For effective protection in automobile accidents and
sudden stops, a child must be properly restrained,
using a seat belt or child restraint system depending
on age and size of the child. Holding a child in your
arms is not a substitute for a child restraint system.
In an accident, the child can be crushed against the
windshield, or between you and the vehicle’s interior.
 Lexus strongly urges use of a proper child restraint
system which conforms to the size of the child,
installed on the rear seat. According to accident
statistics, the child is safer when properly restrained
in the rear seat than in the front seat.

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM
clxv
Installation with child restraint lower
anchorages
Lower anchorages for the child restraint systems
complying with the FMVSS225 or CMVSS210.2
specifications are installed in the rear seat.
The anchorages are installed in the gap between the seat
cushion and seatback of both outboard rear seats.
Child restraint systems complying with the FMVSS213 or
CMVSS213 specification can be fixed to these anchorages. In
this case, it is not necessary to fix the child restraint system with
a seat belt on the vehicle.
Canada only
 Type A