info Lexus IS250 2008 Owner's Guide

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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
■Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbag
(side and curtain shield airbags)
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield airbag system may not activate if the vehicle
is subjected to a collision from the side at certain angles, or a collision to the side of
the vehicle body other than the passenger compartment.
The SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags are not generally designed to
inflate if the vehicle is involved in a frontal or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is
involved in a low-speed side collision.
●Collision from the side to the vehicle body
other than the passenger compartment
●Collision from the side at an angle
●Collision from the front
●Collision from the rear
●Vehicle rollover

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1-7. Safety information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
■When to contact your Lexus dealer
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as possible. Do not dis-
connect the battery cables before contacting your Lexus dealer.
●Any of the SRS airbags have been inflated.
●The front of the vehicle is damaged or
deformed, or was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause the
SRS airbags to inflate.
●A portion of the doors is damaged or
deformed, or the vehicle was involved in an
accident that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS side airbags and curtain
shield airbags to inflate.
●The pad section of the steering wheel, front
passenger airbag cover or lower portion of
the instrument panel is scratched, cracked,
or otherwise damaged.
●The surface of the seats with the side
airbag is scratched, cracked, or otherwise
damaged.
●The portion of the front pillars, rear pillars
or roof side rail garnishes (padding) con-
taining the curtain shield airbags inside is
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-
aged.

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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the airbags.
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.
●The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.
●The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause death or
serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") advises:
Since the risk zone for driver airbag is the first 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm) of inflation,
placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides you with a
clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering
wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in. (250 mm) away now, you can
change your driving position in several ways:
• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedalscomfortably.
• Slightly recline the back of the seat. Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm)
distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply by reclining the
back of the seat somewhat. If reclining the back of your seat makes it hard to
see the road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-slippery cushion, or raise the
seat if your vehicle has that feature.
• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the airbag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.
The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still main-
taining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument
panel controls.

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1-7. Safety information
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and can
cause death or serious injury especially if the front passenger is very close to the
airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the airbag as possible with
the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits upright.
●Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children can be killed or seri-
ously injured by a deploying airbag. 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.
(
→P. 9 5 )
●If the seat belt extender has been con-
nected 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 in a collision,
resulting in death or serious injury in the
event of collision. Be sure to wear the seat
belt with the seat belt extender.

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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean
against the dashboard.
●Do not allow a child to sit on the knees of a
front passenger while the vehicle is moving.
●Do not drive the vehicle while the driver or
passenger have items resting on their
knees.
●Do not lean against the door, the roof side
rail or the front, side and rear pillars.
●Do not allow anyone to kneel on the pas-
senger seat toward the door or put their
head or hands outside the vehicle.

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1-7. Safety information
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CAUTION
■SRS airbag precautions
●If the vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbag will deploys, be
sure to remove it.
●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side airbags
inflate as they may interfere with inflation of the airbags.
●Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS airbag
components shown on P. 80.
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.
●Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS airbags have
deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.
●If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbag has deployed, open a door or
window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do so. Wash off any
residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation.
●If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel pad and
front pillar garnish, are damaged or cracked, have them replaced by your Lexus
dealer.
●Do not attach anything to or lean anything
against areas such as the dashboard, steer-
ing wheel pad or lower portion of the
instrument panel.
These items can become projectiles when
SRS driver, front passenger and knee
airbags deploy.
●Do not attach anything to areas such as the
door, windshield glass, side door glass,
front and rear pillars, roof side rail or assist
grip.
●Do not hang coat hangers or other hard
objects on the coat hooks. All of these
items could become projectiles and seri-
ously injure or kill you, should the SRS cur-
tain shield airbag deploy.

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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
08_IS350/250_U_(L/O_0708)
CAUTION
■Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications with-
out consulting your Lexus dealer.
The SRS airbag may malfunction or deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or
serious injury.
●Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags
●Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel, instrument
panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear pillars or roof side
rails
●Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the occupant
compartment
●Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars, kangaroo bar
etc.)
●Modifications to the vehicle's suspension system
●Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios or CD players
●Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

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1-7. Safety information
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Front passenger occupant classification system
Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classification sys-
tem. This system detects the conditions of the front passenger seat and
activates or deactivates the devices for front passenger.
SRS warning light
“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light
“AIR BAG ON” indicator light
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light

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1-7. Safety information
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Before driving
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Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification system
■Adult*1
■Child *3 or child restraint system*4
Indicator/
warning light
“A I R B A G O N ” a n d “A I R B A G O F F ” i n d i c a t o r lights“A I R B A G ON”
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Activated
Side airbag on the front
passenger seatCurtain shield airbag in the front passenger side
Front passenger knee airbag
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light
“A I R B A G O N ” a n d “A I R B A G O F F ” i n d i c a t o r
lights“A I R B A G OFF” *5
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front
passenger seatCurtain shield airbag in the front passenger sideActivated
Front passenger knee airbag Deactivated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner Activated

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1-7. Safety information
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Unoccupied
■ There is a malfunction in the system
*
1: The system judges a person of adult size as an adult. When a smaller adult sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/
her as a child depending on his/her physique and posture.
*
2: In the event the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.
*
3: When a larger child who has outgrown a child restraint system sits in the front passenger seat, the system may recognize him/her as an
adult depending on his/her physique or posture.
Indicator/
warning light
“A I R B A G O N ” a n d “A I R B A G O F F ” i n d i c a t o r lights Not illuminated
SRS warning light
Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light
Devices Front passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front
passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passenger sideActivated
Front passenger knee airbag Deactivated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light
“A I R B A G O N ” a n d “A I R B A G O F F ” i n d i c a t o r lights“A I R B A G OFF”
SRS warning light On
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Off
Devices Front passenger airbag
Deactivated
Side airbag on the front
passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag in the front passenger sideActivated
Front passenger knee airbag Deactivated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner Activated