SRS airbag precautions Observe the following precautions.

SRS airbag precautions Observe the following precautions. Failure to do so may result in death or serious injury. ●The driver and all passengers must wear their seat belts correctly. 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 the driver’s 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 your current driving position places you less than 10 in. (250 mm) away from the driver airbag, you can change your driving position in several ways: • Move your seat to the rear as far as possible while still being able to reach the pedals comfortably. 36 1-1. For safe use WARNING • Slightly recline the seatback. Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in. (251 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply by reclining the seatback somewhat. If reclining the seatback 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 the NHTSA, while still being able to control the vehicle with the pedals and steering wheel, and maintaining your view of the instrument panel controls. ●If a seat belt extender has been connected to the front passenger seat belt buckle but the latch plate of the front passenger seat belt has not been fastened to the seat belt extender, the SRS airbag system will judge that the front passenger is wearing the seat belt even though the seat belt has not been fastened. In this case, the SRS front airbags for the front passenger may not deploy correctly in a collision, resulting in death or serious injury. Be sure to wear the seat belt correctly when using a seat belt extender. ●The SRS front passenger airbag 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 positioned as far possible from the airbag with the seatback adjusted so that the passenger is sat upright. ●Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children can be killed or seriously 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 safer for infants and children than the front passenger seat. (P.45) ●Do not sit on the edge of the seat or lean against the dashboard. ●Do not allow a child to stand in front of the SRS front passenger airbag or sit on the lap of a front passenger. ●Front seat occupants should never hold items on their lap. 1-1. For safe use 37 1For safety and security WARNING ●Do not lean against the door, roof side rail, or front, side, or rear pillar. ●Do not allow anyone to kneel on a seat toward the door or put their head or hands outside the vehicle. ●Do not attach anything to or lean anything against areas such as the dashboard, steering wheel pad and lower portion of the instrument panel. ●Do not attach anything to areas such as the doors, windshield, side windows, front or rear pillars, roof side rails and assist grips. ●Do not hang coat hangers or other hard objects on the coat hooks. These items could become projectiles if the SRS curtain shield airbags deploy, possibly leading to death or serious injury. ●If a vinyl cover is attached to the area where the SRS knee airbag deploys, be sure to remove it. ●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts from which the SRS airbags deploy, as they may interfere with inflation of the SRS airbags. Such accessories may prevent the SRS airbags from deploying correctly, may disable the system or cause the SRS airbags to inflate unintentionally, possibly resulting in death or serious injury. ●Do not strike or apply significant force to the SRS airbag system components, front doors or their surrounding area. Doing so may cause the SRS airbags to malfunction. ●Do not touch any components of the SRS airbags immediately after the SRS airbags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot. ●If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have 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. 38 1-1. For safe use WARNING ●If a part where an SRS airbag is stored is damaged or cracked, have it replaced by your Lexus dealer. ●Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger’s seat. Doing so will disperse the passenger’s weight, which prevents the sensor from detecting the passenger’s weight properly. As a result, the SRS front airbags for the front passenger’s seat may not deploy in the event of a collision.