belt LEXUS RX400H 2008 Owner's Manual

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1-8. Safety information
RX400h_U
CAUTION
■While driving
●Do not adjust the position of the driver’s seat while driving.
Doing so could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
●Do not place a cushion between the driver or passenger and the seatback.
A cushion may prevent correct posture from being achieved, and reduce the
effectiveness of the seat belt and head restraint, increasing the risk of death or
serious injury to the driver or passenger.
●Do not place anything under the front seats.
Objects placed under the front seats may become jammed in the seat tracks and
stop the seat from locking in place. This may lead to an accident. The adjustment
mechanism may also be damaged.
■Adjusting the seat position:
●Take care when adjusting the seat position to ensure that other passengers are
not injured by the moving seat.
●Do not put your hands under the seat or near the moving parts to avoid injury.
Fingers or hands may become jammed in the seat mechanism.

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Before driving
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SRS airbags
The SRS airbags inflate when the vehicle is subjected to certain types of
severe impacts that may cause significant injury to the occupants. They
work together with the seat belts to help reduce the risk of death or serious
injury.
Front airbags
Driver airbag/front passenger airbag
Can help protect the head and chest of the driver and front passen-
ger from impact with interior components.
Driver knee airbag
Can help provide driver protection.
Side and curtain shield airbags
Side airbags
Can help protect the torso of the front seat occupants.
Curtain shield airbags
Can help protect primarily the head of outside occupants.

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Airbag system componentsYour vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The airbag system
controls airbag deployment power for the driver and front passenger. The
driver airbag system consists of the driver seat’s position sensor etc. The
front passenger’s airbag system consists of the front passenger occupant
classification sensor etc.
The main SRS airbag system components are shown above. The SRS
airbag system is controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a sa fing sensor and an airbag sensor.
Front passenger airbag
Curtain shield airbags
Side airbags
Occupant detection system
(ECU and sensors)
AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG
OFF indicator lights
SRS warning light
Driver airbag
Curtain shield airbag sensors
Side and curtain shield airbag
sensors
Driver's seat belt buckle switch
Driver's seat position sensor
Driver knee airbag
Airbag sensor assembly
Front airbag sensors
Front passenger’s seat belt
buckle switch

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Before driving
RX400h_UIn certain types of severe frontal or side impacts, the SRS airbag system
triggers the airbag inflators. A chemical reaction in the inflators quickly
fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the motion of the occu-
pants.
■SRS warning light
This warning light system monitors the airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sensors,
side and curtain shield airbag sensor assemblies, curtain shield airbag sensor
assemblies, driver's seat position sensor, driver's seat belt buckle switch, front pas-
senger occupant classification system, AIR BAG ON indicator light, AIR BAG
OFF indicator light, front passenger's seat belt buckle switch, front seat belt
pretensioner assemblies, inflators, interconnecting wiring and power sources.
(
→ P. 3 8 9 )
■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)
●Bruising and slight abrasions may result from contact with a deploying (inflating)
SRS airbag.
●A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.
●Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator) as well
as the front seats, and parts of the front pillar and roof side rail, may be hot for sev-
eral minutes. The airbag itself may also be hot.
●The front windshield may crack.
■Operating conditions (front airbags)
●The SRS front airbags will deploy if the severity of the frontal impact is above the
designed threshold level, comparable to an approximate 15 mph (25 km/h) colli-
sion when the vehicle impacts straight into a fixed barrier that does not move or
deform.
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 the vehicle is involved in an underride collision (e.g. a collision in
which the front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a truck, etc.).
●It is possible that in some collisions where the forward deceleration of the vehicle
is very close to the designed threshold level, the SRS front airbags and the seat
belt pretensioners may not activate together.

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●The SRS front passenger airbag will not activate if there is no passenger sitting in
the front passenger seat. However, the front passenger airbag may deploy if lug-
gage is put in the seat, or the seat belt is fastened, even if the seat is unoccupied.
(→ P. 1 0 3 )
■Operating conditions (side airbags)
●The SRS side airbags are designed to inflate when the passenger compartment is
subjected to a severe impact from the side.
●The SRS side airbag on the passenger seat will not activate if there is no passen-
ger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the side airbag on the passenger
seat may deploy if luggage is put in the seat, or the seat belt is fastened, even if the
seat is unoccupied. ( →P. 1 0 3 )
■Operating conditions (curtain shield airbags)
The SRS curtain shield airbags are designed to inflate when the passenger com-
partment is subjected to a severe impact from the side or vehicle rollover.
■Conditions under which the SRS airbags ma y deploy (inflate), other than a colli-
sion
The SRS front airbags may also deploy if a serious impact occurs to the underside of
your vehicle. Some examples are shown in the illustration.
The SRS curtain shield airbags may also deploy under the situations shown in the
illustration.
●Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard
surface
●Falling into or jumping over a deep hole
●Landing hard or vehicle falling
●The angle of vehicle tip-up is marginal.
●The vehicle skids and hits a curb stone.

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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 pedals com-fortably.
• 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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Before driving
RX400h_U
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. 1 0 8 )
●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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1-8. Safety information
Before driving
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Front passenger occupant classification system
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification system
■Adult*1
Indicator/
warning light AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG OFF
indicator lights AIR BAG ON
SRS warning light Off
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light Flashing
*2
DevicesFront passenger airbag
Activated
Side airbag on the front passenger seat
Curtain shield airbag
in the front passenger side
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
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
Front passenger’s seat belt reminder light
AIR BAG OFF indicator light
AIR BAG ON indicator light

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Child
*3 or child restraint system*4
■Unoccupied
Indicator/
warning light AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG OFF
indicator lights AIR BAG
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 seat
Curtain shield airbag
in the front passenger side Activated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner
Indicator/
warning light AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG OFF
indicator lights Not illumi-
nated
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 side Activated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner Deactivated

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Before driving
RX400h_U■
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.
*4: Never install a rear-facing child restraint system on the front passen- ger seat. A forward-facing child restraint system should only be
installed on the front passenger seat when it is unavoidable.
(→ P. 1 0 8 )
*5: In case the indicator is not illuminated, consult this manual as for installing the child restraint system properly. ( →P. 112)
Indicator/
warning light AIR BAG ON and AIR BAG OFF
indicator lights AIR BAG 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 side Activated
Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner