Lexus IS300 2001 Maintenance Schedule / LEXUS 2001 IS300 OWNER'S MANUAL (OM53437)

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
88
CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open the front seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, airbag sensor or surrounding
area or wiring. Doing any of these may cause sudden
operation of the front seat belt pretensioners or disable
the system, which could result in death or serious
injury.
Failure to follow the instruction can result in death or
serious injury.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following changes without consulting your Lexus dealer. Such changes caninterfere with proper operation of the front seat beltpretensioners in some cases.
Installation of electronic devices such as a mobiletwo±way radio, cassette tape player or compact disc
player.
Repairs on or near the front seat belt retractor assemblies.
Modification of the suspension system.
Modification of the front end structure.
Attachment of a grille guard (bull bar, kangaroo bar,etc.), snowplow, winches or any other equipment tothe front end.
Repairs made on or near the front fenders, front endstructure or console.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
89
SV16061
This front seat belt pretensioner system has a service
reminder indicator to inform the driver of operating problems.
If either of the following conditions occurs, this indicates a
malfunction of the airbags or pretensioners. Contact your
Lexus dealer as soon as possible to service the vehicle.
The light does not come on when the ignition key is turned
to the ºACCº or ºONº position, or remains on.
 The light comes on or flashes while driving.
 If either front seat belt does not retract or can not be pulled
out due to a malfunction or activation of the relevant front
seat belt pretensioner.
SS16116
In the following cases, contact your Lexus dealer as soon as
possible.
The front seat belt pretensioner assemblies or surrounding
area has been damaged.
 The front and side parts of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) were involved in an accident that did not cause
the front seat belt pretensioners to operate.
 Either front seat belt pretensioner assemblies or
surrounding area are scratched, cracked, or otherwise
damaged.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
90
SRS AIRBAGS
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) 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.
SS16037

Driver and front passenger airbags
In response to a severe frontal impact, the driver and front
passenger airbags work together with the seat belts to
help reduce injury by inflating. The driver and front
passenger airbags help to reduce injuries mainly to the
driver's or front passenger's head or chest directly hitting
the steering wheel or dashboard.
The front passenger airbag is activated even with no
passenger in the front seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt properly. Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic
module, which will record the use of the seat belt restraint
system by the driver and front passenger when the SRS
airbags are inflated.
CAUTION
The driver or front passenger too close to the steering
wheel or dashboard during airbag deployment can be
killed or seriously injured. Lexus strongly recommends
that:

The driver sit as far back as possible from the
steering wheel while still maintaining control of the
vehicle.
 The front passenger sit as far back as possible from
the dashboard.
 All vehicle occupants be properly restrained using
the available seat belts.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
91
SS16039

Side airbags
In response to a severe side impact, the side airbags for
the driver or front passenger work together with the seat
belts to help reduce injury by inflating. The side airbags
help to reduce injuries mainly to the driver or front
passenger's chest.
The side airbag on the passenger seat is activated even with
no passenger in the front seat.
Be sure to wear your seat belt.
CAUTION
The side airbags inflate with considerable force. To
avoid potential death or serious injury when they inflate,
the driver and front passenger must:
 Wear their seat belts.
 Remain properly seated with their back upright and
against the seat at all times.
SV16061
The indicator comes on when the ignition key is turned to
the ºACCº or ºONº position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbags are operating
properly.
The warning light system monitors the airbag sensor
assembly, front airbag sensors, side airbag sensors, door side
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 38.)

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
92
SS16042
The SRS airbag system is designed to activate in
response to a severe frontal impact within the shaded area
between the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will work if the severity of the impact is above
the designed threshold level, comparable to an approximate
25 km/h (15 mph) collision when impacting 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 work.
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 impact, or if it is involved
in an underride collision (e.g. a collision in which the nose of
the vehicle ºunderridesº, or goes under, the bed of a truck,
etc.).It is possible that in some collisions at the lower zone of airbag
sensor detection and activation the SRS airbags and seat belt
pretensioners will not operate all together.
For the safety of all occupants, always wear your seat belts
properly.SV16019

1Collision from the rear
2Vehicle rollover
The SRS airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle
is involved in a rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is
involved in a low±speed frontal collision.
The side airbags are designed to inflate when the
passenger compartment area suffers a severe impact
from the side.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
93
SS16044

1Collision from the side at an angle
2Collision from the side to the vehicle body other than the passenger compartment
The side airbags may not inflate 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 as shown in the illustration.
SV16020

1Collision from the front
2Collision from the rear
3Vehicle rollover
The side airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle
is involved in a front or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if
it is involved in a low±speed side collision.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
94
SV16021

1Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard material
2Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
3Landing hard or vehicle falling
The SRS airbags may deploy if a serious impact occurs to
the underside of your vehicle. Some examples are shown
in the illustration.
SV16022

1Side airbag modules (airbag and inflator)
2Airbag module for front passenger (airbag and inflator)
3Side airbag sensor assemblies
4Airbag module for driver (airbag and inflator)
5SRS warning light
6Airbag sensor assembly
7Front airbag sensors
The SRS airbag system consists mainly of the above
components, and their locations are shown in the illustration.
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and
airbag sensors.
In a severe frontal impact, the driver and front passenger
airbag sensors detect deceleration and the system triggers the
front airbag inflators. In a severe side impact, the side airbag
sensor triggers the side airbag inflator. Then a chemical
reaction in the inflators quickly fills the airbags with non±toxic
gas to help restrain the forward or lateral motion of the
occupants.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
95
When the SRS operates, it produces a fairly loud noise and
release some smoke and residue along with non±toxic gas.
This does not indicate a fire. This gas is normally harmless;
however, for those who have delicate skin, it may cause a
minor skin irritation. Be sure to wash off any residue as soon
as possible to prevent any potential skin irritation.
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 serious injuries, it may also
cause minor burns or abrasions and swelling.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard,
front seats) may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags
themselves
will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate
only once.
A crash severe enough to inflate the driver and front passenger
airbags may break the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In
vehicles with a front passenger airbag, the windshield may
also be damaged by absorbing some of the force of the
inflating airbag.
CAUTION
 The SRS airbag system is designed only as a
supplement to the primary protection of the driver
side and front passenger side seat belt systems. The
front seat occupants 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 co llision, 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 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
ºSeat beltsº on page 81.
 Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and
children can be killed or seriously injured by the
deploying air bags. 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 seat of the vehicle and properly restrained.
The rear seat is the safest for infants and children.
For instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see ºChild restraintº on page 102 .

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
96
SV16023
Never put a rear±facing child restraint system on the
front passenger seat because the force of the rapid
inflation of the front passenger airbag can cause
death or serious injury to the child.
SV16053

Move seat fully back
A forward±facing child restraint system should be
allowed to be put on the front seat only when it is
unavoidable. Always move the seat as far back as
possible, because the force of a deploying airbag
could cause death or serious injury to the child. Do
not allow the child to lean against the front door or
around the front door even if the child is seated in a
child restraint system. It is dangerous if the side
airbag inflates, and the impact could cause death or
serious injury to the child.
 For instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see ºChild restraintº on page 102.

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT
97
SS16052
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 killed or seriously injured. Sit up straight and well
back in the seat, and always use your seat belt
properly.
SV16025
Do not lean against the front door when the vehicle
is in use. The side airbag inflates with considerable
speed and force; you may be killed or seriously
injured.
 Do not apply excessive weight to the outer side of the
front seats on vehicles with side airbags.