Get Seats, Seat belts, Steering wheel and Mirrors -> SRS driver airbag and front passenger airbag Guide for Toyota Avalon 4 Door Second Generation (2000-2004)

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

SRS driver airbag and front

passenger airbag

In response to a severe frontal impact,

CAUTION

the SRS front airbags work together with

the seat belts to help reduce injury by

inflating. The SRS front airbags help to

reduce injuries mainly to the driver’s or

front passenger’s head or chest caused by

directly hitting the steering wheel or dash-

board. The front passenger airbag is acti-

vated even with no passenger in the front

seat.

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:

D The driver sit as far back as pos-

sible from the steering wheel while

still maintaining control of the ve-

hicle.

Be sure to wear your seat belt properly.

D The front passenger sit as far back

as possible from the dashboard.

The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-

tem) front airbags are designed to pro-

vide further protection for occupants in

the following seats in addition to the

primary safety protection provided by

the seat belts.

D All vehicle occupants be properly

restrained using the available seat

belts.

D Vehicles with bucket front seats—The

SRS front airbags are designed to pro-

tect the driver and front passenger.

D Vehicles with bench type front seats—

The SRS front airbags are designed to

protect the driver and front outside

passenger. They are not designed to

protect occupant in the center position.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

60

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

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 “underrides”, or goes under,

the bed of a truck, etc.).

For the safety of all occupants, always

wear your seat belts properly.

This indicator comes on when the igni-

tion key is turned to the “ON” position.

It goes off after about 6 seconds. This

means the SRS front airbags are oper-

ating properly.

The SRS front airbag system is de-

signed to activate in response to a se-

vere frontal impact within the shaded

area between the arrows in the illustra-

tion.

This warning light system monitors the

airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-

sors, side airbag sensors, driver’s seat

position sensor, driver’s seat belt buckle

switch, front seat belt pretensioner assem-

blies, inflators, warning light, interconnect-

ing wiring and power sources. (For details,

see “Service remainder indicators and

warning buzzers” in Section 1−5.)

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 in

the U.S.A. and 30 km/h (18 mph) collision

in Canada when impacting straight into a

fixed barrier that does not move or de-

form.

If the severity of the impact is below the

above threshold level, the SRS front air-

bags may not deploy.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

61

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

Hitting a curb,

edge of pavement

or hard material

Falling into or

jumping over a

deep hole

Collision from the rear

Collision from the side

Vehicle rollover

Landing hard or vehicle falling

The SRS front airbags are not designed

to inflate if the vehicle is involved in a

side or rear collision, if it rolls over, or

if it is involved in a low−speed frontal

collision.

The SRS front airbags may deploy if a

serious impact occurs to the underside

of your vehicle. Some examples are

shown in the illustration.

The SRS airbag system consists mainly of

the following components, and their loca-

tions are shown in the illustration.

1. Front airbag sensors

2. Airbag module for driver

(airbag and inflator)

3. Airbag module for front passenger

(airbag and inflator)

4. Driver’s seat belt buckle switch

5. Driver’s seat position sensor

6. Airbag sensor assembly

7. SRS warning light

The airbag sensor assembly consists of a

safing sensor and airbag sensor.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

62

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

In a severe frontal impact, the sensor de-

tects deceleration and the system triggers

the airbag inflators. At this time a chemi-

cal reaction in the inflators quickly fills the

airbags with non−toxic gas to help restrain

the forward motion of the occupants.

A crash severe enough to inflate the air-

CAUTION

bags may break the windshield as the

vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a pas-

senger airbag the windshield may also be

damaged by absorbing some of the force

of the inflating airbag.

D The SRS airbag system is designed

only as a supplement to the prima-

ry protection of the driver side and

front passenger side seat belt sys-

tems. 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 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

instructions and precautions con-

cerning the seat belt system, see

“Seat belts” in this section.

When the airbags inflate, they produce a

fairly loud noise and release some smoke

and residue along with non−toxic gas. This

does not indicate a fire. This gas is nor-

mally 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 inju-

ries, it may also cause minor burns or

abrasions and swelling.

Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel

hub, dashboard) may be hot for several

minutes, but the airbags themselves will

not be hot. The airbags are designed to

inflate only once.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

63

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

D Improperly seated and/or restrained

infants and children can be killed

or seriously injured by the deploy-

ing front 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 restraint” in this section.

Move seat

fully back

D Never install a rear−facing child re-

D A forward−facing child restraint sys-

tem should be allowed to be

installed on the front passenger

seat only when it is unavoidable.

Always move the seat as far back

as possible, because the force of

the deploying front passenger air-

bag could cause death or serious

injury to the child.

straint system on the front passen-

ger seat because the force of the

rapid inflation of the front passen-

ger airbag can cause death or seri-

ous injury to the child.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

64

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

D Do not allow the child to lean

against the front door or around

the front door even if the child is

seated in the child restraint system.

It is dangerous if the side airbags

inflate, because the impact could

cause death or serious injury to the

child.

D For instructions concerning the

installation of a child restraint sys-

tem, see “Child restraint” in this

section.

D Do not sit on the edge of the seat

D Do not allow a child to stand up,

or to kneel on the front passenger

seat, since the front airbag inflates

with considerable speed and force.

Otherwise, the child may be killed

or seriously injured.

or lean over the dashboard when

the vehicle is in use, since the

front airbags inflate with consider-

able speed and force. Otherwise,

you may be killed or seriously in-

jured. Sit up straight and well back

in the seat, and always use your

seat belt properly.

D Do not hold a child on your lap or

in your arms. Use a child restraint

system in the rear seat. For instruc-

tions concerning the installation of

a child restraint system, see “Child

restraint” in this section.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

65

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

NOTICE

D Do not modify or remove any wir-

ing. Do not modify, remove, strike

or open any components such as

the steering wheel pad, steering

wheel, column cover, front passen-

ger airbag cover, front passenger

airbag or airbag sensor assembly.

Doing so may cause sudden SRS

front airbag inflation or disable the

system, which could result in death

or serious injury.

Do not perform any of the following

changes without

Toyota dealer. Such changes can

interfere with proper operation of the

SRS front airbag system in some

cases.

consulting your

z Installation of electronic devices

a

such as

mobile two−way radio,

cassette tape player or compact

disc player

Failure to follow these instructions

can result in death or serious injury.

Consult your Toyota dealer about any

repairs and modifications.

z Modification of the suspension sys-

tem

D Do not put objects or your pets on

or in front of the dashboard or

steering wheel pad that houses the

front airbag system. They might re-

strict inflation or cause death or

serious injury as they are projected

rearward by the force of the deploy-

ing airbags. Likewise, the driver

and front passenger should not

hold objects in their arms or on

their knees.

z Modification of the front end struc-

ture

z Attachment of a grille guard (bull

bar, kangaroo bar, etc.), snowplow,

winches or any other equipment to

the front end

z Repairs made on or near the front

fenders, front end structure, con-

sole, steering column, steering

wheel or dashboard near the front

passenger airbag

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

66

’03 AVALON U (L/O 0206)

NOTICE

Do not disconnect the battery cables

before contacting your Toyota dealer.

This SRS front airbag system has

a

In the following cases, contact your Toyota

dealer as soon as possible:

service reminder indicator to inform the

driver of operating problems. If either of

the following conditions occurs, this

D The SRS front airbags have been in-

flated.

indicates

a

malfunction of the airbags.

D The front of the vehicle (shaded in the

illustration) was involved in an accident

that was not severe enough to cause

the SRS front airbags to inflate.

Contact your Toyota dealer as soon as

possible to service the vehicle.

D The light does not come on when the

ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-

tion, or the light remains on.

D The pad section of the steering wheel

or

front passenger

airbag cover

D The light comes on while driving.

(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,

cracked, or otherwise damaged.

2003 AVALON (OM41401U)

67

Seats, Seat belts, Steering wheel and Mirrors -> SRS driver airbag and front passenger airbag for Your Toyota Avalon 4 Door Second Generation (2000-2004)

Related Topics

Seats, Seat belts, Steering wheel and Mirrors

Popular Owner Manuals

Latest Owner Manuals