airbag TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2001 Service User Guide

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Front seats
Second seat
To use the armrest, pull it down as
shown in the illustrations.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the armrest,
avoid putting heavy loads on it.
Toyota strongly urges that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly re-
strained 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 ap-
propriate for the child until the child be-
comes large enough to properly wear the
vehicle's seat belts. See Child restraintº
on page 91 in this Section 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 infla-
tion of the airbag may cause death or
serious injury to the child.
ArmrestsSeat beltsÐ
ÐSeat belt precautions

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To stow the third seat seat belt, insert
the tabs into the slot as shown above.
Make sure the tabs are securely locked
in the slot.
Seat belt must be stowed before you fold
the seatback. (See ÐFolding down third
seatº on page 51 in this Section.)
NOTICE
Stow the third seat seat belt when
not in use.
If your seat belts cannot be fastened se-
curely because they are not long enough,
a personalized seat belt extender is avail-
able from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer to
order the proper required length for the
extender. Bring the heaviest coat you ex-
pect to wear for proper measurement and
selection of length. Additional ordering in-
formation is available at your Toyota deal-
er.
CAUTION
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following precautions.
Failure to follow these instructions
could reduce the effectiveness of the
seat belt restraint system in case of
an accident, increasing the chance of
personal injury.

Remember that the extender pro-
vided for you may not be safe when
used on a different vehicle, for
another person, or at a different
seating position than the one origi-
nally intended.

If the seat belt extender has been
connected to the driver 's seat belt
buckle without wearing the seat belt
when using the extender in the
driver 's seat, the SRS driver 's air-
bag system will judge that the driv-
er wears the seat belt even if not
wearing it. In this case, the driver 's
airbag may not activate correctly,
causing death or serious injury in
the event of collision. Be sure to
wear the seat belt with the seat belt
extender.
ÐStowing the third seat seat
belt
ÐSeat belt extender

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Make sure the AIRBAG ONº
indicator light is illuminated when
using the seat belt extender for the
front passenger seat. If the
AIRBAG OFFº indicator light is
illuminated, disconnect the extender
tongue from the seat belt buckle,
then reconnect the seat belt.
Reconnect the seat belt extender
after making sure the AIRBAG ONº
indicator light is illuminated. If you
use the seat belt extender while the
AIRBAG OFFº indicator light is
illuminated, the front passenger
airbag and side airbag on the front
passenger side may not activate
correctly, causing death or serious
injury in the event of collision.

Be sure to wear the seat belt with-
out the seat belt extender if you
can fasten the seat belt without the
extender.

Do not use the seat belt extender
when installing a child restraint
system on the front or rear passen-
ger seat. If installing a child re-
straint system with the seat belt
extender connected to the seat belt,
the seat belt will not securely hold
the child restraint system, which
could cause death or serious injury
to the child or other passengers in
the event of collision.
To connect the extender to the seat
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt
buckle so that the PRESSº signs on
the buckle release buttons of the ex-
tender 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 extend-
er itself.

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As far as the seat belt extender on the
front passenger side is concerned, do not
fail to disconnect the extender from the
seat belt after the above operation in or-
der to activate the front passenger airbag
correctly when getting into the vehicle
next time.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
CAUTION

After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the lap and shoulder portions
of the belt and the seat belt extend-
er are 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
Toyota dealer. Do not use the seat
until the seat belt is fixed, because
it cannot protect an adult occupant
or your child from injury.
The driver and front passenger seat
belt pretensioners are designed to be
activated in response to a severe fron-
tal impact or a vehicle roll over.
When the sensor detects a severe frontal
impact or a vehicle roll over, the front
seat belts are quickly drawn back by the
retractors so that the belts snugly restrain
the occupants.The front passenger 's seat belt pretension-
er 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 lug-
gage 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 ÐFront passenger occupant
classification systemº on page 86 in this
Section.)
The seat belt pretensioners and SRS air-
bags may not operate together in all colli-
sions.
ÐSeat belt pretensioners

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The seat belt pretensioner system con-
sists mainly of the following components
and their locations are shown in the il-
lustration.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Front passenger occupant classification
system (ECU and sensors)
4. Seat belt pretensioner assemblies
5. Front passenger 's seat belt buckle
switch
6. Airbag sensor assemblyThe seat belt pretensioners are controlled
by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag
sensor assembly consists of a safing sen-
sor and airbag sensor.
When the seat belt pretensioners are acti-
vated, an operating noise may be heard
and a small amount of non- toxic gas may
be released. This does not indicate that
a fire is occurring. This gas is normally
harmless.
Once the seat belt pretensioners have
been activated, the seat belt retractors
remain locked.CAUTION
Do not modify, remove, strike or open
the seat belt pretensioner assemblies,
airbag sensor or surrounding area or
wiring. Failure to follow these instruc-
tions may prevent the seat belt pre-
tensioners from activating correctly,
cause sudden operation of the system
or disable the system, which could
result in death or serious injury. Con-
sult your Toyota dealer about any re-
pair and modification.
NOTICE
Do not perform any of the following
changes without consulting your
Toyota dealer. Such changes can
interfere with proper operation of the
seat belt pretensioners in some
cases.

Installation of electronic devices
such as a mobile two- way radio,
cassette tape player or compact
disc player

Repairs on or near the front seat
belt retractor assemblies

Modification of the suspension sys-
tem

Modification of the front end struc-
ture

Attachment of a grille guard (bull
bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,
winches or any other equipment to
the front end

Repairs made on or near the front
fenders, front end structure or con-
sole

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This indicator comes on when the igni-
tion key is turned to the ONº position.
It goes off after about 6 seconds. This
means the seat belt pretensioners are
operating properly.This warning light system monitors the
airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-
er 's seat position sensor, driver 's seat belt
buckle switch, front passenger occupant
classification system, AIRBAG ONº indi-
cator light, AIRBAG OFFº indicator light,
front passenger 's seat belt buckle switch,
seat belt pretensioner assemblies, inflat-
ors, warning light, interconnecting wiring
and power sources. (For details, see Ser-
vice reminder indicators and warning buzz-
ersº on page 135 in Section 1- 6.)
If any of the following conditions occurs,
this indicates a malfunction of the airbags
or seat belt pretensioners. Contact your
Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

The light does not come on when the
ignition key is turned to the ONº posi-
tion or remains on for more than 6
seconds or flashes.

The light comes on or starts flashing
while driving.

If any seat belt does not retract or
cannot be pulled out due to a malfunc-
tion or activation of the relevant seat
belt pretensioner.

The seat belt pretensioner assembly or
surrounding area has been damaged.
In the following cases, contact your Toyota
dealer as soon as possible:

The front of the vehicle (shaded in the
illustration) was involved in an accident
that was not severe enough to cause
the seat belt pretensioners to operate.

Either seat belt pretensioner assembly
or surrounding area is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.

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The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-
tem) front airbags are designed to pro-
vide further protection for the driver
and front passenger in addition to the
primary safety protection provided by
the seat belts.
In response to a severe frontal impact,
the SRS front airbags work together with
the seat belts to help reduce injury by
inflating. The SRS front airbags help re-
duce injuries mainly to the driver's or front
passenger 's head or chest caused by hit-
ting the vehicle interior.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 buckled up, regardless of the presence
of an occupant in the seat. (As for the
front passenger occupant classification
system, see ÐFront passenger occupant
classification systemº on page 86 in this
Section.)
Always wear your seat belt properly.
CAUTION

The SRS front airbag system is de-
signed only as a supplement to the
primary protection of the driver and
front passenger seat belt systems.
The driver and front passenger 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 collision, an unrestrained driver
or front passenger can move for-
ward into direct contact with or
close proximity to the airbag which
may then deploy during the colli-
sion. To ensure maximum protection
in an accident, the driver and all
passengers in the vehicle must
wear their seat belts properly. Wear-
ing a seat belt properly during an
accident reduces the chances of
death or serious injury or being
thrown out of the vehicle. For in-
structions and precautions concern-
ing the seat belt system, see Seat
beltsº on page 58 in this Section.
SRS airbagsÐ
ÐSRS driver airbag and front
passenger airbag

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Improperly seated and/or restrained
infants and children can be killed
or seriously injured by the deploy-
ing airbags. An infant or child who
is too small to use a seat belt
should be properly secured using a
child restraint system. Toyota
strongly recommends that all in-
fants and children be placed in the
rear seat of the vehicle and proper-
ly restrained. The rear seat is the
safest for infants and children. For
instructions concerning the installa-
tion of a child restraint system, see
Child restraintº on page 91 in this
Section.The SRS front airbags are designed to
deploy in severe (usually frontal) colli-
sions where the magnitude and duration
of the forward deceleration of the ve-
hicle exceeds the designed threshold
level.
The SRS front airbags will deploy if the
severity of the impact is above the de-
signed threshold level, comparable to an
approximate 25 km/h (15 mph) collision
when the vehicles has the impact 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 underridesº,
or goes under, the bed of a truck, etc.).
It is possible that in some collisions
where the forward deceleration of the ve-
hicle is very close to the designed thresh-
old level, the SRS front airbags and the
seat belt pretensioners may not activate
together.
Always wear your seat belts properly.
Collision from the rear
Collision from the side
Vehicle rollover
The SRS front airbags are generally not
designed to inflate if the vehicle is in-
volved in a side or rear collision, if it
rolls over, or if it is involved in a low-
speed frontal collision. But, whenever a
collision of any type causes sufficient
forward deceleration of the vehicle, de-
ployment of the SRS front airbags may
occur.

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Hitting a curb,
edge of pavement
or hard surfaceFalling into or
jumping over a
deep hole
Landing hard or vehicle falling
The SRS front airbags may also deploy
if a serious impact occurs to the under-
side of your vehicle. Some examples
are shown in the illustration.The SRS front airbag system consists
mainly of the following components, and
their locations are shown in the illustra-
tion.
1. Front airbag sensors
2. SRS warning light
3. Airbag module for front passenger
(airbag and inflator)
4. AIRBAG ONº and AIRBAG OFFº indi-
cator lights
5. Front passenger occupant classification
system (ECU and sensors)
6. Front passenger 's seat belt buckle
switch
7. Driver 's seat belt buckle switch8. Driver 's seat position sensor
9. Airbag sensor assembly
10. Airbag module for driver
(airbag and inflator)
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.
The front airbag sensors constantly moni-
tor the forward deceleration of the vehicle.
If an impact results in a forward decelera-
tion beyond the designed threshold level,
the system triggers the airbag inflators. At
this time a chemical reaction in the infla-
tors very quickly fills the airbags with
non- toxic gas to help restrain the forward
motion of the occupants. The front airbags
then quickly deflate, so that there is no
obstruction of the driver 's vision should it
be necessary to continue driving.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a
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 imme-
diately.

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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 inju-
ries, primarily to the head and chest, it
may also cause other, less severe injuries
to the face, chest, arms and hands. These
are usually in the nature of minor burns
or abrasions and swelling, but the force of
a deploying airbag can cause more seri-
ous injuries, especially if an occupant's
hands, arms, chest or head is in close
proximity to the airbag module at the time
of deployment. This is why it is important
for the occupant to: avoid placing any
object or part of the body between the
occupant and the airbag module; sit
straight and well back into the seat; wear
the available seat belt properly; and sit as
far as possible from the airbag module,
while still maintaining control of the ve-
hicle.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel
hub, airbag cover and inflator) may be hot
for several minutes after deployment, so
do not touch! The airbags inflate only
once. The windshield may be damaged by
absorbing some of the force of the inflat-
ing airbag.CAUTION
The driver or front passenger who is
too close to the steering wheel or
dashboard during airbag deployment
can be killed or seriously injured.
Toyota strongly recommends that:

The driver sit as far back as pos-
sible from the steering wheel while
still maintaining control of the ve-
hicle.

The front passenger sit as far back
as possible from the dashboard.

All vehicle occupants be properly
restrained using the available seat
belts.
For instructions and precautions con-
cerning the seating position, see
ÐFront seat precautionsº on page
40 in this Section.
Do not sit on the edge of the seat
or lean against the dashboard when
the vehicle is in use, since the
front passenger airbag could inflate
with considerable speed and force.
Anyone who is up against, or very
close to, an airbag when it inflates,
can be killed or seriously injured.
Sit up straight and well back in the
seat, and always use your seat belt
properly.