Lexus GS300 2001 Comfort Adjustment

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
83
Compass (Some models)
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The compass indicates the direction in which the vehicle
is heading. The illustration shown above indicates the
vehicle is heading north.
Displays
Directions
N
NE
E
SE
S
SW
W
NWNorth
Northeast
East
Southeast
South
Southwest
West
Northwest
Pushing the button for longer than 3 seconds turns on or
off the compass display.
The compass may not show the correct direction in the
following conditions:
The vehicle is stopped immediately after turning.
The compass does not adjust while the vehicle is stopped.
The ignition switch is turned off immediately after turning.
The vehicle is on an inclined surface.
The vehicle is in a place where the earth's magnetic field is
subject to interference by artificial magnetic fields
(underground parking, under a steel tower, between
buildings, roof parking, near a crossing, near a large
vehicle, etc.).
The vehicle is magnetized. (There is an magnet or a metal
object near the inside rear view mirror.)
The battery has been disconnected.
Any door is open.
The compass works to calibrate the direction automatically
while the vehicle in in motion, if deviation is small.
For obtaining additional precision or for complete calibrating,
see ªCALIBRATING THE COMPASSº below.

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84
NOTICE
Do not put magnets or a metal object near the inside rear
view mirror. Doing this may cause malfunction of the
compass sensor.
CALIBRATING THE COMPASS (deviation calibration)
The direction display on the compass deviates from the true
direction determined by the earth's magnetic field. The
amount of deviation varies according to the geographic
position of the vehicle.
To adjust for this deviation, stop the vehicle and push the
button for longer than about 6 seconds until the number (1±15)
appears on the display. Then push the button again, referring
to the following map to select the number of the zone where the
vehicle is.
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Zone number
If the direction is displayed several seconds after adjustment,
the calibration is finished.

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85
CAUTION
Do not adjust the display while the vehicle is moving.
Be sure to adjust the display only when the vehicle is
stopped.
CALIBRATING THE COMPASS (circling calibration)
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ªCº appears on the display in case the circling calibration is
required due to the drastic change of the magnetic field. To
rectify this, follow the calibration procedure.
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Drive the vehicle slowly (at 8 km/h (5 mph) or lower) in a circle
until the direction is displayed. If there is not enough space to
drive in a circle, drive around the block until the direction is
displayed.
After driving in 1 to 3 circles in the above method, calibration
is complete with the direction shown on the display.
If calibration cannot be performed because of the magnetized
vehicle, etc., take your vehicle to Lexus dealer.
Do not perform circling calibration of the compass in a place
where the earth's magnetic field is subject to interference by
artificial magnetic fields (underground parking, under a
steel tower, between buildings, roof parking, near a
crossing, near a large vehicle, etc.).
During calibration, do not operate electric systems (moon
roof, power windows, etc.) as they may interfere with the
calibration.

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86
CAUTION
When doing the circling calibration, be sure to secure
a wide space, and pay attention to people and
vehicles in the neighborhood. Do not violate any
local traffic rules while performing circling
calibration.
Do not adjust the display while the vehicle is moving.
Be sure to adjust the display only when the vehicle is
stopped.
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.
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 ºChild restraintº on page 108 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. Do not let the child sit on your lap. It does not provide
sufficient restraint. If an accident occurs and the seat belts are
not worn properly, the force of the rapid inflation of the airbag
may cause severe injury to the child.
Do not allow the child 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.
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.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
87 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 seatbacks too much. The seat
belts provide maximum protection when the
seatbacks are in the upright position. (See
ºAdjusting seatback angleº on page 76.)
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 ± they may
severely weaken the belts. (See ºCleaning the
interiorº on page 302 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.
Fastening front and rear seat belts
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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.

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88The 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 ºChild restraintº on
page 108.) 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. It cannot protect
an adult occupant or your child from injury.
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Adjust the position of the lap and shoulder belts.
1
Position the lap belt as low as possible on your hips ± not
on your waist.
2
Adjust it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder portion
upward through the latch plate.
CAUTION
Both high±positioned lap belts and loose±fitting
belts could cause serious injuries due to sliding
under the lap belt during a collision or other
unintended result. Keep the lap belt positioned as
low on hips as possible.
For your safety, do not place the shoulder belt under
your arm.

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16G018a
Adjust the shoulder anchor position to your size.
To raise the anchor position, push the anchor up. To lower the
anchor position, support the anchor while you push the lock
release button then slide the anchor down. After adjustment,
make sure the anchor is locked in position.
CAUTION
Always make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of your shoulder. The belt should be
kept away from your neck, but not falling off your
shoulder. Failure to do so could reduce the amount of
protection in an accident and cause severe injuries in a
collision.
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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.

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Seat belt extender
If your seat belt cannot be fastened securely because it is not
long enough, a personalized seat belt extender is available
from your Lexus dealer free of charge.
Please contact your local Lexus dealer to 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. Failure to follow 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 without it.
Remember that the extender provided for you may
not be safe when used on a different vehicle, or for
another person or at a different seating position than
the one originally intended for.
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To connect the extender to the seat belt, insert the tab into
the seat belt buckle so that the ºPRESSº 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.

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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. It cannot protect
an adult occupant or your child from injury.
Front seat belt pretensioners
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The driver and front passenger's seat belt pretensioners
are designed to be activated in response to a severe
frontal impact.
When the airbag sensor detects the shock of a severe frontal
impact, the front seat belts are quickly drawn back by the
retractor so that the belts snugly restrain the front seat
occupants.
The front seat belt pretensioners will not activate when no
passenger is sitting in the front seat.
Collisions occurring at certain speeds and angles may cause
the seat belt pretensioners and SRS airbags not to operate all
together.

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This indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the ªONº position. It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the front seat belt pretensioners are operating
properly.
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side airbag sensors, curtain
shield airbag sensors, front seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power
sources. (For details, see ºService reminder indicators and
warning buzzersº on page 41.)
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1Front airbag sensor
2Front seat belt pretensioner assembly
3SRS warning light
4Airbag sensor assembly
The front seat belt pretensioner system consists mainly of the
above components, and their locations are shown in the
illustration.
The front seat belt pretensioners are controlled by the airbag
sensor assembly. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.
When the front seat belt pretensioners are activated, an
operating noise may be heard and a small amount of
smoke±like gas may be released. This gas is harmless and
does not indicate that a fire is occurring.
Once the front seat belt pretensioners have been activated, the
seat belt retractors remain locked.