OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS Occupant restraint systems for Your Toyota Prius 4 Door Second Generation (2004-2009)

SECTION 22  
OPERATION OF INSTRUMENTS AND  
CONTROLS  
Occupant restraint systems  
Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52  
Front seatss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52  
Folddown rear seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56  
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57  
Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58  
Seat belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58  
SRS driver and front passenger airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66  
SRS side airbags and curtain shield airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74  
Child restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86  
51  
Front seats—  
—Front seat precautions  
Seats  
While the vehicle is being driven, all ve-  
hicle occupants should have the seatback  
upright, sit well back in the seat and prop-  
erly wear the seat belts provided.  
Driver seat  
Slightly recline the back of the  
seat. Although vehicle designs vary,  
many drivers can achieve the 250  
mm (10 in.) distance, even with the  
driver seat all the way forward, sim-  
ply 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.  
CAUTION  
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:  
CAUTION  
Do not drive the vehicle unless the  
occupants are properly seated. Do  
not allow any passengers to sit on  
top of a folded−down seatback, or  
in the luggage compartment or car-  
go area. Persons not properly  
seated and/or not properly re-  
strained by seat belts can be se-  
verely injured in the event of emer-  
gency braking or a collision.  
Since the risk zone for driver airbag  
is the first 50−75 mm (2−3 in.) of  
inflation, placing yourself 250 mm (10  
in.) from your diver airbag provides  
If your steering wheel is adjustable,  
tilt it downward. This points the air-  
bag toward your chest instead of  
your head and neck.  
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 250  
mm (10 in.) away now, you can  
change your driving position in sever-  
al ways:  
During driving, do not allow any  
passengers to stand up or move  
around between seats. Otherwise,  
severe injuries can occur in the  
The seat should be adjusted as rec-  
ommended by NHTSA above, while  
still maintaining control of the foot  
pedals, steering wheel, and your view  
of the instrument panel controls.  
event of emergency braking or  
collision.  
a
Move your seat to the rear as far  
as you can while still reaching the  
pedals comfortably.  
52  
—Seat adjustment precautions  
Front passenger seat  
CAUTION  
Front seats (with SRS side airbags)  
CAUTION  
CAUTION  
Do not adjust the seat while the  
vehicle is moving as the seat may  
unexpectedly move and cause the  
driver to lose control of the vehicle.  
The SRS side airbags are installed in  
the driver and front passenger seats.  
Observe the following precautions.  
The SRS front passenger airbag also  
deploys with considerable force, and  
can cause death or serious injury es-  
pecially if the front passenger is very  
close to the airbag. The front passen-  
ger seat should be as far from the  
airbag as possible with the seatback  
adjusted, so the front passenger sits  
upright.  
Be careful that the seat does not  
hit a passenger or luggage.  
Do not lean against the front door  
when the vehicle is in use, since  
the side airbag inflates with consid-  
erable speed and force. Otherwise,  
you may be killed or seriously in-  
jured.  
After adjusting the seat position, re-  
lease the lever and try sliding the  
seat forward and backward to make  
sure it is locked in position.  
Do not use seat accessories which  
cover the area where the side air-  
bags inflate. Such accessories may  
prevent the side airbags from acti-  
vating correctly, causing death or  
serious injury.  
After adjusting the seatback, push  
your body back against the seat to  
make sure the seat is locked in  
position.  
Do not put objects under the seats.  
Otherwise, the objects may interfere  
with the seat−lock mechanism or  
unexpectedly push up the seat posi-  
tion adjusting lever and the seat  
may suddenly move, causing the  
driver to lose control of the vehicle.  
Do not modify or replace the seats  
or upholstery of the seats with side  
airbags. Such change may prevent  
the side airbag system from activat-  
ing correctly, disable the system or  
cause the side airbags to inflate ac-  
cidentally, resulting in death or seri-  
ous injury.  
53  
—Adjusting front seats  
1. SEAT POSITION ADJUSTING LEVER  
While adjusting the seat, do not put  
your hands under the seat or near  
the moving parts. Otherwise, your  
hands or fingers may be caught  
and injured.  
Hold the center of the lever and pull it  
up. Then slide the seat to the desired  
position with slight body pressure and  
release the lever.  
2. SEATBACK ANGLE ADJUSTING  
LEVER  
Lean forward and pull the lever up.  
Then lean back to the desired angle  
and release the lever.  
CAUTION  
Avoid reclining the seatback any  
more than needed. The seat belts pro-  
vide maximum protection in a frontal  
or rear collision when the driver and  
the front passenger are sitting up  
straight and well back in the seats. If  
you are reclined, the lap belt may  
slide past your hips and apply re-  
straint forces directly to the abdomen  
or your neck may contact the shoul-  
der belt. In the event of  
a
frontal  
collision, the more the seat is re-  
clined, the greater the risk of death  
or serious injury.  
54  
—Flattening seatbacks  
CAUTION  
Do not allow passengers to ride on  
the flattened seat while driving; use  
the seat in the normal position.  
After putting back the seat, try  
pushing the seat and seatback for-  
ward and rearward to make sure it  
is secured in place. Be certain to  
replace head restraint.  
1. Remove the head restraint. Hold the  
center of the lever and pull it up.  
Then slide the seat further forward  
than the front−most lock position.  
2. Pull the seatback angle adjusting le-  
ver to unlock and push down the  
seatback.  
When returning the seatback upright, be  
careful not to make yourself hit by the  
seatback which will bound with consid-  
erable spring force.  
After returning the seat to its original  
position, be certain to replace the head  
restraint.  
55  
Fold−down rear seat  
CAUTION  
When only rear left seat is folded  
down, rear seat alone can be used.  
Never sit on the center seat because  
the rear center seat belt cannot be  
fastened correctly when the rear left  
seat is folded down.  
Lower the head restraints to the lowest  
position. Push down the lock release  
button and fold the seatback down.  
BEFORE RETURNING REAR SEAT  
Make sure the shoulder belt pass  
through the guide when returning the  
seatback up.  
Each seatback can be folded separately.  
This will enlarge the luggage compartment  
as far as the seatbacks. See “Cargo and  
luggage” on page 342 for precautions  
when loading luggage.  
If the shoulder belt on the rear right seat  
is off the guide, the air vent for cooling  
the hybrid battery may be blocked by the  
belt. If the hybrid battery cannot be  
cooled, the output performance is limited,  
reducing the driving performance.  
56  
Head restraints  
For your safety and comfort, adjust the  
head restraint before driving,  
CAUTION  
To raise: Pull it up.  
To lower: Push it down while pressing the  
lock release button.  
When returning the seatback to the  
upright position, observe the follow-  
ing precautions in order to prevent  
death or serious injury in a collision  
or sudden stop:  
Rear center head restraint—When an oc-  
cupant sits on the rear center seat, al-  
ways pull up the rear center head re-  
straint to the lock position.  
Make sure seatback is securely  
locked by pushing forward and rear-  
ward on the top of the seatback.  
Failure to do so will prevent the  
seat belt from operating properly.  
The head restraint is most effective when  
it is close to your head. Therefore, using  
a cushion on the seatback is not recom-  
mended.  
Make sure the seat belts are not  
twisted or caught in the seatback  
and are arranged in the proper  
position and are ready to use.  
Front  
CAUTION  
Adjust the center of the head re-  
straint so that it is closest to the  
top of your ears.  
After adjusting the head restraint,  
make sure it is locked in position.  
Do not drive with the head re-  
straints removed.  
Rear  
57  
Seat belts—  
—Seat belt precautions  
Armrest  
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.  
Do not allow any children to stand up or  
kneel on either rear or front seats. An  
unrestrained child could suffer serious in-  
jury or death during emergency braking or  
a collision. Also, do not let the child sit  
on your lap. Holding a child in your arms  
does not provide sufficient restraint.  
The seat belts provided for your vehicle  
are designed for people of adult size,  
large enough to properly wear them.  
Pregnant woman. Toyota recommends the  
use of a seat belt. Ask your doctor for  
specific recommendations. The lap belt  
should be worn securely and as low as  
possible over the hips and not on the  
waist.  
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. For details, see “Child  
restraint” on page 86.  
Injured person. Toyota recommends the  
use of a seat belt. Depending on the inju-  
ry, first check with your doctor for specific  
recommendations.  
To use the armrest, pull it down as  
shown in the illustration.  
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.  
NOTICE  
To prevent damage to the armrest,  
avoid putting heavy loads on it.  
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.  
58  
—Fastening front and rear  
seat belts  
Be careful not to damage the belt  
webbing or hardware. Take care that  
they do not get caught or pinched  
in the seat or doors.  
CAUTION  
Persons should ride in their seats  
properly wearing their seat belts  
whenever the vehicle is moving.  
Otherwise, they are much more likely  
to suffer serious bodily injury or  
death in the event of sudden braking  
or a collision.  
Inspect the belt system periodically.  
Check for cuts, fraying, and loose  
parts. Damaged parts should be re-  
placed. Do not disassemble or  
modify the system.  
Tab  
Buckle  
When using the seat belts, observe  
the following:  
Keep the belts clean and dry. If  
they need cleaning, use a mild soap  
solution or lukewarm water. Never  
use bleach, dye or abrasive clean-  
ers, or allow them to come into  
contact with the belts—they may  
severely weaken the belts. (See  
“Cleaning the interior” on page  
381.)  
Use the belt for only one person at  
a time. Do not use a single belt for  
two or more people—even children.  
Adjust the seat as needed and sit up  
straight and well back in the seat. To  
fasten your belt, pull it out of the re-  
tractor and insert the tab into the  
buckle.  
Avoid reclining the seatback any  
more than needed. The seat belts  
provide maximum protection in  
a
frontal or rear collision when the  
driver and the front passenger are  
sitting up straight and well back in  
the seats. If you are reclined, the  
lap belt may slide past your hips  
and apply restraint forces directly  
to the abdomen or your neck may  
contact the shoulder belt. In the  
You will hear a click when the tab locks  
into the buckle.  
Replace the belt assembly (includ-  
ing bolts) if it has been used in a  
severe impact. The entire assembly  
should be replaced even if damage  
is not obvious.  
The seat belt length automatically adjusts  
to your size and the seat position.  
The retractor will lock the belt during a  
sudden stop or on impact. It also may  
lock if you lean forward too quickly. A  
slow, easy motion will allow the belt to  
extend, and you can move around freely.  
event of  
a
frontal collision, the  
more the seat is reclined, the great-  
er the risk of death or personal in-  
jury.  
59  
When a passenger’s shoulder belt is com-  
pletely extended and is then retracted  
even slightly, the belt is locked in that  
position and cannot be extended. This fea-  
ture is used to hold the child restraint  
system securely. (For details, see “Child  
restraint” on page 86.) To free the belt  
again, fully retract the belt and then pull  
the belt out once more.  
CAUTION  
Take up slack  
Both high−positioned lap belts and  
loose−fitting belts could cause  
death or serious injuries due to  
sliding under the lap belt during a  
collision or other unintended event.  
Keep the lap belt positioned as low  
on hips as possible.  
Too high  
If the seat belt cannot be pulled out of the  
retractor, firmly pull the belt and release  
it. You will then be able to smoothly pull  
the belt out of the retractor.  
Do not place the shoulder belt un-  
der your arm.  
Keep as low on hips  
as possible  
Adjust the position of the lap and  
shoulder belts.  
CAUTION  
After inserting the tab, make sure  
the tab and buckle are locked and  
that the belt is not twisted.  
Position the lap belt as low as possible  
on your hips—not on your waist, then ad-  
just it to a snug fit by pulling the shoulder  
portion upward through the latch plate.  
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 death or serious  
injury.  
60  
CAUTION  
Always make sure the shoulder belt  
is positioned across the center of  
your shoulder. The belt should be  
kept away from your neck, but not  
falling off your shoulder. Failure to  
do so could reduce the amount of  
protection in an accident and cause  
death or serious injuries in a colli-  
sion.  
Seat belts with an adjustable shoulder  
anchor—  
To release the belt, press the buckle  
release button and allow the belt to  
retract.  
Adjust the shoulder anchor position to  
your size.  
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull  
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then  
make sure it remains untwisted as it re-  
tracts.  
To raise: Slide the anchor up.  
To lower: Push in the lock release button  
and slide the anchor down.  
After adjustment, make sure the anchor is  
locked in position.  
61  
—Seat belt extender  
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.  
Make sure the front passenger oc-  
cupant classification indicator light  
indicates “ON” when using the seat  
belt extender for the front passen-  
ger seat. If the indicator light indi-  
cates “OFF”, disconnect the extend-  
er tongue from the seat belt buckle,  
then reconnect the seat belt. Recon-  
nect the seat belt extender after  
making sure the indicator light indi-  
cates “ON”. If you use the seat belt  
extender while the indicator light  
indicates “OFF”, the front passen-  
ger airbag may not activate correct-  
ly, which could cause death or seri-  
ous injury in the event of collision.  
Please contact your local Toyota dealer so  
that the dealer can order the proper re-  
quired length for the extender. Bring the  
heaviest coat you expect to wear for prop-  
er measurement and selection of length.  
Additional ordering information is available  
at your Toyota dealer.  
CAUTION  
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.  
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.  
Be sure to wear the seat belt with-  
out the seat belt extender if you  
can fasten the seat belt without the  
extender.  
Remember that the extender pro-  
vided for you may not be safe when  
used on  
another person, or at  
a
different vehicle, for  
different  
a
seating position than the one origi-  
nally intended.  
62  
Do not use the seat belt extender  
when installing child restraint  
system on the front or rear passen-  
ger seat. If installing 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.  
CAUTION  
a
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.  
a
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 death or serious  
injury.  
To connect the extender to the seat  
belt, insert the tab into the seat belt  
buckle so that the “PRESS” 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.  
When not in use, remove the extender  
and store in the vehicle for future use.  
63  
—Seat belt pretensioners  
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 “—Front passenger occupant  
classification system” on page 81.)  
The seat belt pretensioner and SRS air-  
bags may not operate together in all colli-  
sions.  
There are seat belt pretensioners for  
both front seats. They are designed to  
be activated in response to a severe  
frontal impact.  
The seat belt pretensioner system con-  
sists mainly of the following components  
and their locations are shown in the il-  
lustration.  
When the sensor detects a severe frontal  
impact, the front seat belts are quickly  
drawn back by the retractor so that the  
belts snugly restrain the occupants.  
1. Front airbag sensors  
2. SRS warning light  
3. Front passenger occupant classification  
indicator light  
4. Front passenger’s seat belt buckle  
switch  
5. Front passenger occupant classification  
system (ECU and sensors)  
6. Seat belt pretensioner assemblies  
7. Airbag sensor assembly  
64  
The seat belt pretensioners are controlled  
by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag  
sensor assembly consists of a safing sen-  
sor and airbag sensor.  
NOTICE  
Do not perform any of the following  
changes without  
consulting your  
Toyota dealer. Such changes can in-  
terfere with proper operation of the  
seat belt pretensioners in some  
cases.  
When the seat belt pretensioners are acti-  
vated, an operating noise may be heard  
and a small amount of nontoxic gas may  
be released. This does not indicate that  
a fire is occurring. This gas is normally  
harmless.  
z Installation of electronic devices  
such as  
a
mobile two−way radio,  
cassette tape player or compact  
disc player  
Once the seat belt pretensioners have  
been activated, the seat belt retractors  
remain locked.  
z Repairs on or near the front seat  
belt retractor assemblies  
This indicator comes on when the “IG−  
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after  
about 6 seconds. This means the seat  
belt pretensioners are operating proper-  
ly.  
CAUTION  
z Modification of the suspension sys-  
tem  
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.  
z Modification of the front end struc-  
ture  
The warning light system monitors the air-  
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-  
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-  
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,  
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat  
belt buckle switch, front passenger occu-  
pant classification system and indicator  
light, front passenger’s seat belt buckle  
switch, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,  
interconnecting wiring and power sources.  
(For details, see “Service reminder indica-  
tors and warning buzzers” on page 125.)  
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 or con-  
sole  
65  
SRS driver and front  
passenger airbags  
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  
“IGON” mode is enabled or remains  
on for more than 6 seconds.  
The light comes on 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  
seat belt pretensioner.  
The seat belt pretensioner assembly or  
In the following cases, contact your Toyota  
dealer as soon as possible:  
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.  
surrounding area has been damaged.  
The front part 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.  
Your 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 classifica-  
tion sensor, etc.  
The seat belt pretensioner assembly or  
surrounding area is scratched, cracked,  
or otherwise damaged.  
66  
In response to a severe frontal impact,  
the SRS front airbags work with the seat  
belts to help reduce injury by inflating.  
The SRS front airbags help reduce injuries  
mainly to the driver’s or front passenger’s  
head or chest caused by hitting the ve-  
hicle interior.  
Improperly seated and/or restrained  
infants and children can be killed  
or seriously injured by the deploy-  
ing airbags. An infant or child who  
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  
belts” on page 58.  
is too small to use  
should be properly secured using a  
child restraint system. Toyota  
a
seat belt  
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 “—Front passenger occupant  
classification system” on page 81.)  
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” on page 86.  
Always wear your seat belt properly.  
67  
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.  
Hitting a curb, edge  
of pavement or  
hard surface  
Falling into or jump-  
ing over a deep hole  
Collision from  
the rear  
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 vehicle has the impact straight  
into a fixed barrier that does not move or  
deform.  
Collision from  
the side  
Vehicle rollover  
Landing hard or vehicle falling  
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  
The SRS front airbags are not generally  
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.  
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.  
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 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.  
68  
8. Driver’s seat position sensor  
9. Airbag sensor assembly  
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 inflat-  
ors very quickly fills the airbags with non−  
toxic gas to help restrain the froward mo-  
tion 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.  
10. Airbag module for driver  
(airbag and inflator)  
The SRS front airbag system consists  
mainly of the following components and  
their locations are shown in the illustra-  
tion.  
When the airbags inflate, they produce a  
loud noise and release some smoke and  
residue along with nontoxic 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.  
1. Front airbag sensors  
2. SRS warning light  
3. Front passenger occupant classification  
indicator light  
4. Airbag module for front passenger (air-  
bag and inflator)  
5. Passenger’s seat belt buckle switch  
6. Front passenger occupant classification  
system (ECU and sensors)  
7. Driver’s seat belt buckle switch  
69  
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.  
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.  
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.  
For instructions and precautions con-  
cerning the seating position, see  
“—Front seat precautions” on page  
52.  
All vehicle occupants be properly  
restrained using the available seat  
belts.  
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.  
70  
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.  
Toyota strongly recommends that  
all infants and children be placed in  
the rear seat of the vehicle and be  
properly restrained.  
Do not put anything or any part of  
your body on or in front of the  
dashboard or steering wheel pad  
that houses the front airbag sys-  
tem. They might restrict inflation or  
cause death or serious injury as  
they are projected rearward by the  
force of the deploying airbags. Like-  
wise, the driver and front passenger  
should not hold objects in their  
arms or on their knees.  
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” on page 86.  
71  
NOTICE  
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, dashboard  
near the front passenger airbag,  
front passenger airbag cover, front  
passenger airbag or airbag sensor  
assembly. Doing so may prevent the  
front airbag system from activating  
correctly, cause sudden front air-  
bags activation of the system or  
disable the system, which could re-  
sult in death or serious injury.  
Do not perform any of the following  
changes without  
consulting your  
Toyota dealer. Such changes can in-  
terfere with proper operation of the  
SRS front airbag system in some  
cases.  
z Installation of electronic devices  
such as  
a
mobile two−way radio,  
cassette tape player or compact  
disc player  
z Modification of the suspension sys-  
tem  
This indicator comes on when the “IG−  
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after  
about 6 seconds. This means the SRS  
front airbags are operating properly.  
Failure to follow these instructions  
can result in death or serious injury.  
Consult your Toyota dealer about any  
repair and modification.  
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  
The warning light system monitors the air-  
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-  
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-  
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,  
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat  
belt buckle switch, front passenger occu-  
pant classification system and indicator  
light, front passenger’s seat belt buckle  
switch, seat belt pretensioner assemblies,  
interconnecting wiring and power sources.  
(For details, see “Service reminder indica-  
tors and warning buzzers” on page 125.)  
If you wish to modify your vehicle for  
a person with  
a
physical disability,  
consult your Toyota dealer. It may  
dangerously interfere with the SRS  
side airbags and curtain shield air-  
bags operation.  
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  
72  
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.  
NOTICE  
Do not disconnect the battery cables  
before contacting your Toyota dealer.  
The light does not come on when the  
“IGON” mode is enabled or remains  
on for more than 6 seconds.  
The light comes on while driving.  
In the following cases, contact your Toyota  
dealer as soon as possible:  
The SRS front airbags have been in-  
flated.  
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.  
The pad section of the steering wheel  
or  
front passenger airbag cover  
(shaded in the illustration) is scratched,  
cracked, or otherwise damaged.  
73  
SRS side airbags and curtain  
shield airbags  
In response to a severe side impact, the  
SRS side airbags and curtain shield air-  
bags work with the seat belts to help  
reduce injury by inflating. The SRS side  
airbags help reduce injuries mainly to the  
driver’s or front passenger’s chest and the  
SRS curtain shield airbags help reduce  
injuries mainly to the driver’s, front pas-  
senger’s or rear outboard passenger’s  
head.  
CAUTION  
The SRS side airbag and curtain  
shield airbag system is designed  
only as a supplement to the prima-  
ry protection of the driver, front  
passenger and rear outside passen-  
ger seat belt systems. 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 prop-  
erly 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 “Seat belts” on page 58.  
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield  
airbag on the passenger side are activated  
even with no passenger in the front seat  
or rear outboard seat.  
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint Sys-  
tem) side airbags and curtain shield air-  
bags are designed to provide further  
protection for the driver, front passen-  
ger and rear outboard passengers in  
addition to the primary safety protec-  
tion provided by the seat belts.  
The SRS curtain shield airbags may acti-  
vate even when the side airbags are not  
activated.  
Always wear your seat belt properly.  
74  
Do not allow anyone to lean his/her  
head or any part of his/her body  
against the door or the area of the  
seat, front pillar, rear pillar or roof  
side rail from which the SRS side  
airbag and curtain shield airbag  
Collision from the rear  
deploy even if he/she is  
a
child  
seated in the child restraint system.  
It is dangerous if the SRS side air-  
bag and curtain shield airbag in-  
flate, and the impact of the deploy-  
ing airbag could cause death or se-  
rious injury to the occupant.  
Collision from the front  
Vehicle rollover  
Improperly seated and/or restrained  
infants and children can be killed  
or seriously injured by the deploy-  
ing airbags. An infant or child who  
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield  
airbag system may not activate 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.  
The SRS side airbags and curtain shield  
airbags are not generally 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.  
is too small to use  
should be properly secured using a  
child restraint system. Toyota  
a
seat belt  
strongly recommends that all in-  
fants and children be placed in the  
rear seats of the vehicle and prop-  
erly restrained. The rear seats are  
the safest for infants and children.  
For instructions concerning the  
installation of a child restraint sys-  
tem, see “Child restraint” on page  
86.  
The SRS side airbags and curtain shield  
airbags are designed to inflate when the  
passenger compartment area suffers a se-  
vere impact from the side.  
Always wear your seat belts properly.  
75  
8. Passenger’s seat belt buckle switch  
9. Airbag sensor assembly  
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield  
airbag system is controlled by the airbag  
sensor assembly. The airbag sensor as-  
sembly consists of a safing sensor and  
airbag sensor.  
In a severe side impact, the side and  
curtain shield airbag sensor and/or the  
curtain shield airbag sensor trigger(s) the  
side airbag inflators and/or the curtain  
shield airbag inflators. At this time  
a
chemical reaction in the inflators quickly  
fills the airbags with nontoxic gas to help  
restrain the lateral motion of the occu-  
pants.  
The SRS side airbag and curtain shield  
airbag system consists mainly of the fol-  
lowing components, and their locations are  
shown in the illustration.  
When the airbags inflate, they produce a  
fairly loud noise and release some smoke  
and residue along with nontoxic 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.  
1. SRS warning light  
2. Front passenger occupant classification  
indicator light  
3. Curtain shield airbag modules  
(airbag and inflator)  
4. Front passenger occupant classification  
system (ECU and sensors)  
5. Side airbag modules  
(airbag and inflator)  
6. Curtain shield airbag sensors  
7. Side and curtain shield airbag sensors  
76  
Deployment of the airbags happen 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.  
Front seats as well as parts of the front  
and rear pillars, and roof side rail may be  
hot for several minutes, but the airbags  
themselves will not be hot. The airbags  
are designed to inflate only once.  
CAUTION  
SRS side airbags and curtain shield  
Do not allow anyone to lean against  
the door when the vehicle is in use,  
since the side airbag and curtain  
shield airbag could inflate with con-  
siderable speed and force. Other-  
wise, he/she may be killed or seri-  
ously injured. Special care should  
be taken especially when you have  
a small child in the vehicle.  
Do not allow anyone to get his/her  
head closer to the area where the  
side airbag and curtain shield air-  
bag inflate, since these airbags  
could inflate with considerable  
speed and force. Otherwise, he/she  
may be killed or seriously injured.  
Special care should be taken espe-  
cially when you have a small child  
in the vehicle.  
airbags  
inflate with considerable  
force. To reduce the possibility of  
death or serious injury when they in-  
flate, the driver, front passenger and  
rear outside passengers must:  
Wear their seat belts properly.  
Remain properly seated with their  
backs upright and against the seats  
at all times.  
Sit up straight and well back in the  
seat, distributing your weight even-  
ly in the seat. Do not apply exces-  
sive weight to the outer side of the  
seats with a side airbag, and to the  
front pillar, rear pillar and roof side  
rail with a curtain shield airbag.  
77  
Do not allow anyone to kneel on  
the passenger seat, facing the pas-  
senger’s side door, since the side  
airbag and curtain shield airbag  
could inflate with considerable  
speed and force. Otherwise, he/she  
may be killed or seriously injured.  
Special care should be taken espe-  
cially when you have a small child  
in the vehicle.  
Do not allow anyone to get his/her  
head or hands out of windows  
since the curtain shield airbags  
could inflate with considerable  
speed and force. Otherwise, he/she  
may be killed or seriously injured.  
Special care should be taken espe-  
cially when you have a small child  
in the vehicle.  
Do not attach a cup holder or any  
other device or object on or around  
the door. When the side airbag in-  
flates, the cup holder or any other  
device or object will be thrown with  
great force or the side airbag may  
not activate correctly, resulting in  
death or serious injury. Likewise,  
the driver and front passenger  
should not hold objects in their  
arms or on their knees.  
78  
Do not hook  
a
hanger, heavy or  
Do not disassemble or repair the  
front and rear pillars and roof side  
rail containing the curtain shield  
airbags. Such changes may disable  
the system or cause the curtain  
shield airbags to inflate accidental-  
ly, resulting in death or serious in-  
jury.  
sharp pointed objects on the coat  
hook. If the curtain shield airbag  
inflates, those items will be thrown  
away with great force or the curtain  
shield airbag may not activate cor-  
rectly, resulting in death or serious  
injury. When you hang clothes,  
hang them on the coat hook direct-  
ly.  
Failure to follow these instructions  
can result in death or serious injury.  
Consult your Toyota dealer about any  
repair and modification.  
Do not use seat accessories which  
cover the parts where the side air-  
bags inflate. Such accessories may  
prevent the side airbags from acti-  
vating correctly, causing death or  
serious injury.  
If you wish to modify your vehicle for  
a person with  
a
physical disability,  
Do not attach a microphone or any  
other device or object around the  
area where the curtain shield airbag  
activates such as on the windshield  
glass, side door glass, front and  
rear pillars, roof side rail and assist  
grips. When the curtain shield air-  
bag inflates, the microphone or oth-  
er device or object will be thrown  
away with great force or the curtain  
shield airbag may not activate cor-  
rectly, resulting in death or serious  
injury.  
consult your Toyota dealer. It may  
dangerously interfere with the SRS  
side airbags and curtain shield air-  
bags operation.  
Do not modify or replace the seats  
or upholstery of the seats with side  
airbags. Such changes may prevent  
the side airbag system from activat-  
ing correctly, disable the system or  
cause the side airbags to inflate ac-  
cidentally, resulting in death or seri-  
ous injury.  
79  
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.  
NOTICE  
Do not perform any of the following  
changes without  
consulting your  
Toyota dealer. Such changes can  
interfere with proper operation of the  
SRS side airbag and curtain shield  
airbag system in some cases.  
The light does not come on when the  
“IGON” mode is enabled or remains  
on for more than 6 seconds.  
The light comes on while driving.  
z Installation of electronic devices  
such as  
a
mobile two−way radio,  
cassette tape player or compact  
disc player  
z Modification of the suspension sys-  
tem  
This indicator comes on when the “IG−  
ON” mode is enabled. It goes off after  
about 6 seconds. This means the SRS  
side airbags and curtain shield airbags  
are operating properly.  
z Modification of the side structure of  
the passenger compartment  
z Repairs made on or near the con-  
sole or front seat  
The warning light system monitors the air-  
bag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-  
sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-  
sors, curtain shield airbag sensors,  
driver’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat  
belt buckle switch, front passenger’s seat  
belt buckle switch, seat belt pretensioner  
assemblies, interconnecting wiring and  
power sources. (For details, see “Service  
reminder indicators and warning buzzers”  
on page 125.)  
80  
—Front passenger occupant  
classification system  
In the following cases, contact your Toyota  
dealer as soon as possible:  
Your vehicle is equipped with a front  
passenger occupant classification sys-  
tem. This system detects the conditions  
1. through 4. in the table on page 84  
and based on these conditions activates  
or deactivates the following systems;  
Any of the SRS side airbags and cur-  
tain shield airbags have been inflated.  
The portion of the doors (shaded in the  
illustration) were involved in an acci-  
dent that was not severe enough to  
cause the SRS side airbags and cur-  
tain shield airbags to inflate.  
Front passenger airbag  
Front passenger’s seat belt pretension-  
er  
The surface of the seats with the side  
airbag (shaded in the illustration) is  
scratched, cracked, or otherwise dam-  
aged.  
The system monitors the weight and  
load on the front passenger seat, and  
the seat belt buckle switch to determine  
conditions 1. through 4.  
The portion of the front pillars, rear  
pillars or roof side rail garnishes (pad-  
ding) containing the curtain shield air-  
bags inside (shaded in the illustration)  
is scratched, cracked, or otherwise  
damaged.  
In order for the system to detect the  
conditions correctly, do not do any of  
the following:  
Apply a heavy load to the front pas-  
senger seat.  
Attach  
a
commercial seatback table,  
etc. to the front passenger seat seat-  
back.  
NOTICE  
Do not disconnect the battery cables  
before contacting your Toyota dealer.  
Put weight on the front passenger seat  
by putting your hands or feet on the  
seatback from the rear passenger seat.  
81  
A rear passenger lifts the front passen-  
The front passenger occupant classifi-  
cation indicator light will indicate “ON”  
and “OFF” when the “IG−ON” mode is  
enabled. After about 4 seconds, it will  
go off. After that, the front passenger  
occupant classification system operates  
and judges whether to indicate “ON” or  
“OFF”.  
ger seat cushion with their legs.  
Objects are placed under the front pas-  
senger seat.  
The front passenger seatback is in  
contact with the rear seat.  
To ensure the system correctly detects an  
adult sitting in the front passenger seat,  
make sure the above do not occur.  
Make sure that the “ON” indicator is illu-  
minated when an adult is seated in the  
front passenger seat. If the “OFF” indica-  
tor is illuminated, ask the passenger to sit  
up straight, well back in the seat, and  
with the seat belt worn correctly. If the  
“OFF” indicator still remains illuminated,  
either ask the passenger to move to the  
rear seat, or if that is not possible, move  
the front passenger seat fully rearward.  
The front passenger occupant classifi-  
cation indicator light indicates the ac-  
tuation of the front passenger airbag  
and front passenger’s seat belt preten-  
sioner.  
The indicator light will indicate “OFF”  
when the ignition key is turned to the  
“ON” position with the condition 2. in the  
table shown below.  
If the front passenger occupant classifica-  
tion system determines that a person of  
adult size sits in the front passenger seat  
but the “OFF” indicator is illuminated, one  
of the following is likely to have occurred:  
82  
The SRS warning light will come on  
and front passenger occupant classifi-  
cation indicator light will indicate  
“OFF” if there is a malfunction in the  
front passenger occupant classification  
system.  
83  
Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classification system  
Indicator/ warning light  
Devices  
Curtain shield  
Condition detected by  
the front passenger  
occupant classification  
system  
Front passenger  
occupant  
classification  
indicator light  
Front  
passenger’s  
seat belt  
Side airbag on  
the front  
Front  
passenger’s  
seat belt  
Front  
passenger  
airbag  
airbag in the  
front  
SRS warning  
light  
passenger  
seat  
passenger  
side  
reminder light  
pretensioner  
*1  
*4  
1. Adult  
“ON”  
“OFF”  
Off  
Off  
Off  
On  
Flashing  
Activated  
*2  
2. Child or child  
*4  
Flashing  
Deactivated  
Activated  
Deactivated  
Activated  
*3  
restraint system  
3. Unoccupied  
Not illuminated  
“OFF”  
Off  
Off  
Deactivated  
Deactivated  
Activated  
4. There is a malfunction  
in the system  
*1  
*2  
*3  
:
:
:
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.  
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.  
Never install a rearfacing child restraint system on the front passenger seat. A forwardfacing child restraint system should only  
be installed on the front passenger seat when it is unavoidable. (See “Child restraint” on page 86 as for installing the child restraint  
system.)  
*4  
:
When the front passenger does not wear a seat belt.  
84  
Do not recline the front passenger  
seatback so far that it touches a  
rear seat. This may cause the  
“OFF” indicator to be illuminated,  
which indicates that the passen-  
ger’s airbags will not deploy in the  
event of a severe accident. If the  
seatback touches the rear seat, re-  
Wear the seat belt properly.  
CAUTION  
Make sure the front passenger’s  
seat belt tab has not been left in-  
serted into the buckle before some-  
one sits in the front passenger  
seat.  
To avoid potential death or serious  
injury when the front passenger occu-  
pant classification system does not  
detect the conditions correctly, ob-  
serve the following:  
Do not apply a heavy load to the  
front passenger seat.  
Make sure the front passenger oc-  
cupant classification indicator light  
indicates “ON” when using the seat  
belt extender for the front passen-  
ger seat. If the indicator light indi-  
cates “OFF”, disconnect the extend-  
er tongue from the seat belt buckle,  
then reconnect the seat belt. Recon-  
nect the seat belt extender after  
making sure the indicator light indi-  
cates “ON”. If you use the seat belt  
extender while the indicator light  
indicates “OFF”, the front passen-  
ger airbag may not activate correct-  
ly, which could cause death or seri-  
ous injury in the event of collision.  
turn the seatback to  
a
position  
where it does not touches the rear  
seat.  
Do not put weight on the front pas-  
senger seat by putting your hands  
or feet on the front passenger seat  
seatback from the rear passenger  
seat.  
Keep the front passenger seatback  
as upright as possible when the ve-  
hicle is moving. Reclining the seat-  
back excessively may lessen the ef-  
fectiveness of the seat belt system.  
Do not let a rear passenger lift the  
front passenger seat with their feet  
or press on the seatback with their  
legs.  
If an adult sits in the front passen-  
ger seat, the occupant classification  
indicator light should indicate “ON”.  
If the “OFF” indicator is illumi-  
nated, ask the passenger to sit up  
straight, well back in the seat, feet  
on the floor, and with the seat belt  
worn correctly. If the “OFF” indica-  
tor still remains illuminated, either  
ask the passenger to move to the  
rear seat, or if that is not possible,  
move the front passenger seat fully  
rearward.  
Do not put objects under the front  
passenger seat.  
Child restraint systems installed on  
the rear seat should not contact the  
front seatbacks.  
85  
Child restraint—  
—Child restraint precautions  
Toyota strongly urges the use of ap-  
propriate child restraint systems for  
children.  
When it is unavoidable to install the  
forward−facing child restraint sys-  
tem on the front passenger seat,  
install the child restraint system on  
the front passenger seat in the  
proper order. (As for the installation  
Toyota strongly urges use of  
a
proper child restraint system which  
conforms to the size of the child,  
installed on the rear seat. Accord-  
ing to accident statistics, the child  
is safer when properly restrained in  
the rear seat than in the front seat.  
The laws of all 50 states in the U.S.A.  
and Canada now require the use of  
child restraint system.  
a
Your vehicle conforms to SAEJ1819.  
order,  
see  
“—Installation  
with  
3−point type seat belt” on page 89.)  
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. See “Seat belts” on  
page 58 for details.  
Never install a rear−facing child re-  
straint system on the front passen-  
ger seat even if the front passenger  
Do not remove the front seats.  
Do not kick the front passenger  
seat or subject it to severe impact.  
Otherwise, the SRS warning light  
may come on to indicate a malfunc-  
tion of the detection system. In this  
case, contact your Toyota dealer im-  
mediately.  
occupant  
classification  
indicator  
light indicates “OFF”. In the event  
of an accident, the force of the rap-  
id inflation of the front passenger  
airbag can cause death or serious  
injury to the child if the rear−facing  
child restraint system is installed  
on the front passenger seat.  
CAUTION  
For effective protection in automo-  
bile accidents and sudden stops, a  
child must be properly restrained,  
using a seat belt or child restraint  
system depending on the age and  
size of the child. Holding a child in  
your arms is not a substitute for a  
child restraint system. In an acci-  
dent, the child can be crushed  
against the windshield, or between  
you and the vehicle’s interior.  
The front passenger occupant classifica-  
tion indicator light may indicate “ON” (the  
front passenger airbag may deploy) even  
if observing the above cautions, when a  
child sits in, or a forwardfacing child re-  
straint system is installed on the front  
passenger seat. Refer to all the cautions  
in “SRS driver and front passenger air-  
bags” and “SRS side airbags and curtain  
shield airbags” on pages 66 and 74, and  
“Child restraint” described below.  
86  
—Child restraint system  
A
child restraint system for  
a
small  
A forward−facing child restraint  
system 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 front pas-  
senger airbag could inflate with  
Do not use the seat belt extender  
when installing child restraint  
system on the front or rear passen-  
ger seat. If installing 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.  
child or baby must itself be properly  
restrained on the seat with the lap por-  
tion of the lap/shoulder belt. You must  
carefully consult the manufacturer’s in-  
structions which accompany child re-  
straint system.  
a
a
To provide proper restraint, use a child  
restraint system following the manufactur-  
er’s instructions about the appropriate age  
and size of the child for the child restraint  
system.  
considerable  
speed  
and  
force.  
Otherwise, the child may be killed  
or seriously injured.  
On vehicles with side airbags and  
curtain shield airbags, do not allow  
the child to lean his/her head or  
any part of his/her body against the  
door or the area of the seat, front  
or rear pillar or roof side rail from  
which the side airbags or curtain  
shield airbags deploy even if the  
child is seated in the child restraint  
system. It is dangerous if the side  
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-  
flate, and the impact could cause  
death or serious injury to the child.  
Make sure you have complied with  
all installation instructions provided  
by the child restraint manufacturer  
and that the system is properly se-  
cured. If it is not secured properly,  
it may cause death or serious inju-  
ry to the child in the event of a  
sudden stop or accident.  
Install the child restraint system correctly  
following the instructions provided by its  
manufacturer. General directions are also  
provided under the following instructions.  
The child restraint system should be  
installed on the rear seat. According to  
accident statistics, the child is safer when  
properly restrained in the rear seat than  
in the front seat.  
When not using the child restraint system,  
keep it secured with the seat belt or place  
it somewhere other than the passenger  
compartment. This will prevent it from in-  
juring passengers in the event of a sud-  
den stop or accident.  
87  
—Types of child restraint  
system  
Child restraint systems are classified into  
the following 3 types depending on the  
child’s age and size.  
(A) Infant seat  
(B) Convertible seat  
(C) Booster seat  
Install the child restraint system following  
the instructions provided by its manufac-  
turer.  
Your vehicle has anchor brackets for se-  
curing the top strap of a child restraint  
system.  
For instructions about how to use the an-  
chor bracket, see “—Using a top strap” on  
page 98.  
(A) Infant seat  
(C) Booster seat  
The child restraint lower anchorages ap-  
proved for your vehicle may also be used.  
See “—Installation with child restraint low-  
er anchorages” on page 100.  
(B) Convertible seat  
88  
—Installation with 3−point  
type seat belt  
(A) INFANT SEAT INSTALLATION  
Do not install a child restraint sys-  
tem on the rear seat if it interferes  
with the lock mechanism of the  
front seats. Otherwise, the child or  
front seat occupant(s) may be killed  
or seriously injured in case of sud-  
den braking or a collision.  
CAUTION  
An infant seat must be used in rear−  
facing position only.  
Never install a rear−facing child re-  
straint system on the front passen-  
ger seat even if the front passenger  
occupant  
classification  
indicator  
light indicates “OFF”. In the event  
of an accident, the force of the rap-  
id inflation of the front passenger  
airbag can cause death or serious  
injury to the child if the rear−facing  
child restraint system is installed  
on the front passenger seat.  
If the driver’s seat position does  
not allow sufficient space for safe  
installation, install the child re-  
straint system on the rear right  
seat.  
89  
CAUTION  
After inserting the tab, make sure  
the tab and buckle are locked and  
that the lap and shoulder portions  
of the belt 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, it cannot protect your  
child from death or serious injury.  
Contact your Toyota dealer immedi-  
ately. Do not install the child re-  
straint system on the seat until the  
seat belt is fixed.  
1. Run the lap and shoulder belt through  
or around the infant seat following the  
instructions provided by its manufactur-  
er and insert the tab into the buckle  
taking care not to twist the belt. Keep  
the lap portion of the belt tight.  
2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it  
in the lock mode. When the belt is  
then retracted even slightly, it cannot  
be extended.  
To hold the infant seat securely, make  
sure the belt is in the lock mode before  
letting the belt retract.  
90  
3. While pressing the infant seat firmly  
against the seat cushion and seatback,  
let the shoulder belt retract as far as  
it will go to hold the infant seat secure-  
ly.  
4. To remove the infant seat, press the  
buckle release button and allow the  
belt to retract completely. The belt will  
move freely again and be ready to  
work for an adult or older child passen-  
ger.  
CAUTION  
Push and pull the child restraint sys-  
tem in different directions to be sure  
it is secure. Follow all the installation  
instructions provided by its manufac-  
turer.  
91  
Move seat  
fully back  
(B) CONVERTIBLE SEAT INSTALLATION  
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 even if the front pas-  
senger occupant classification indi-  
cator light indicates “OFF”, because  
the front passenger airbag could in-  
flate with considerable speed and  
force. Otherwise, the child may be  
killed or seriously injured.  
CAUTION  
A convertible seat must be used in for-  
ward−facing or rear−facing position de-  
pending on the age and size of the  
child. When installing, follow the  
manufacturer’s instructions about the  
applicable age and size of the child as  
well as directions for installing the  
child restraint system.  
Never install a rear−facing child re-  
straint system on the front passen-  
ger seat even if the front passenger  
occupant  
classification  
indicator  
light indicates “OFF”. In the event  
of an accident, the force of the rap-  
id inflation of the front passenger  
airbag can cause death or serious  
injury to the child if the rear−facing  
child restraint system is installed  
on the front passenger seat.  
92  
On vehicles with side airbags and  
curtain shield airbags, do not allow  
the child to lean his/her head or  
any part of his/her body against the  
door or the area of the seat, front  
or rear pillar or roof side rail from  
which the side airbags or curtain  
shield airbags deploy even if the  
child is seated in the child restraint  
system. It is dangerous if the side  
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-  
flate, and the impact could cause  
death or serious injury to the child.  
1. Run the lap and shoulder belt through  
or around the convertible seat following  
Do not install a child restraint sys-  
tem on the rear seat if it interferes  
with the lock mechanism of the  
front seats. Otherwise, the child or  
front seat occupant(s) may be killed  
or seriously injured in case of sud-  
den braking or a collision.  
the  
instructions  
provided  
by  
its  
manufacturer and insert the tab into  
the buckle taking care not to twist the  
belt. Keep the lap portion of the belt  
tight.  
If the driver’s seat position does  
not allow sufficient space for safe  
installation, install the child re-  
straint system on the rear right  
seat.  
93  
CAUTION  
After inserting the tab, make sure  
the tab and buckle are locked and  
that the lap and shoulder portions  
of the belt 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, it cannot protect your  
child from death or serious injury.  
Contact your Toyota dealer immedi-  
ately. Do not install the child re-  
straint system on the seat until the  
seat belt is fixed.  
2. Fully extend the shoulder belt to put it  
in the lock mode. When the belt is  
then retracted even slightly, it cannot  
be extended.  
3. While pressing the convertible seat  
firmly against the seat cushion and  
seatback, let the shoulder belt retract  
as far as it will go to hold the convert-  
ible seat securely.  
To hold the convertible seat securely,  
make sure the belt is in the lock mode  
before letting the belt retract.  
94  
4. To remove the convertible seat, press  
the buckle release button and allow the  
belt to retract completely. The belt will  
move freely again and be ready to  
work for an adult or older child passen-  
ger.  
(C) BOOSTER SEAT INSTALLATION  
CAUTION  
A booster seat must be used in for-  
ward−facing position only.  
Push and pull the child restraint sys-  
tem in different directions to be sure  
it is secure. Follow all the installation  
instructions provided by its manufac-  
turer.  
95  
On vehicles with side airbags and  
curtain shield airbags, do not allow  
the child to lean his/her head or  
any part of his/her body against the  
door or the area of the seat, front  
or rear pillar or roof side rail from  
which the side airbags or curtain  
shield airbags deploy even if the  
child is seated in the child restraint  
system. It is dangerous if the side  
airbag and curtain shield airbag in-  
flate, and the impact could cause  
death or serious injury to the child.  
Move seat  
fully back  
1. Sit the child on a booster seat. Run  
the lap and shoulder belt through or  
around the booster seat and across the  
child following the instructions provided  
by its manufacturer and insert the tab  
into the buckle taking care not to twist  
the belt.  
CAUTION  
A forward−facing child restraint  
system 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 even if the front pas-  
senger occupant classification indi-  
cator light indicates “OFF”, because  
the front passenger airbag could in-  
flate with considerable speed and  
force. Otherwise, the child may be  
killed or seriously injured.  
Make sure the shoulder belt is correctly  
across the child’s shoulder and that the  
lap belt is positioned as low as possible  
on the child’s hips. See “Seat belts” on  
page 58 for details.  
96  
If the seat belt does not function  
normally, it cannot protect your  
child from death or serious injury.  
Contact your Toyota dealer immedi-  
ately. Do not install the child re-  
straint system on the seat until the  
seat belt is fixed.  
CAUTION  
Always make sure the shoulder belt  
is positioned across the center of  
child’s shoulder. The belt should be  
kept away from child’s neck, but  
not falling off child’s shoulder.  
Otherwise, the child may be killed  
or seriously injured in case of sud-  
den braking or a collision.  
Both high−positioned lap belts and  
loose−fitting belts could cause  
death or serious injuries due to  
sliding under the lap belt during a  
collision or other unintended event.  
Keep the lap belt positioned as low  
on a child’s hips as possible.  
2. To remove the booster seat, press the  
buckle release button and allow the  
belt to retract.  
For child’s safety, do not place the  
shoulder belt under child’s arm.  
After inserting the tab, make sure  
the tab and buckle are locked and  
that the lap and shoulder portions  
of the belt are not twisted.  
Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in  
the buckle as this may prevent you  
from properly latching the tab and  
buckle.  
97  
—Using a top strap  
Anchor brackets  
Symbol  
Follow the procedure below for a child  
restraint system that requires the use  
of a top strap.  
Use the anchor brackets on the back of  
the rear seatback to attach the top strap.  
TO USE THE ANCHOR BRACKET:  
1. Remove the luggage cover (see  
“Luggage cover” on page 314.) and  
raise the head restraint to the upper-  
most lock position.  
Anchor brackets are installed for each  
rear seating position.  
This symbol indicates the location of the  
anchor brackets.  
98  
CAUTION  
Make sure the top strap is securely  
latched, and check that the child re-  
straint system is secure by pushing  
and pulling it in different directions.  
Follow all the installation instructions  
provided by its manufacturer.  
2. Open the cover of the anchor brack-  
et.  
3. Fix the child restraint system with  
the seat belt.  
Latch the hook onto the anchor  
bracket and tighten the top strap.  
For instructions to install the child re-  
straint system, see “Child restraint” on  
page 86.  
99  
—Installation with child  
restraint lower anchorages  
The lower anchorages for the child re-  
straint system interfaced with the  
FMVSS225 or CMVSS210.2 specification  
are installed in the rear seat.  
The anchorages are installed in the clear-  
ance between the seat cushion and seat-  
back of both outside rear seats.  
Child restraint system interfaced with the  
FMVSS213 or CMVSS213 specification  
can be fixed with these anchorages. In  
this case, it is not necessary to fix the  
child restraint system with a seat belt on  
the vehicle.  
Canada only  
Canada only  
Type A  
Type B  
100  
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM INSTALLA-  
TION  
For installation details, refer to the instruc-  
tion manual equipped with each product.  
1. Widen the gap between the seat  
cushion and seatback slightly and  
confirm the position of the lower an-  
chorages below the symbol in the  
seatback.  
CAUTION  
When using the lower anchorages  
for the child restraint system, be  
sure that there are no irregular ob-  
jects around the anchorages or that  
the seat belt is not caught.  
2. Type A—Latch the hooks of lower  
straps onto the anchorages and  
tighten the lower straps.  
Push and pull the child restraint  
system in different directions to be  
sure it is secure. Follow all the  
installation instructions provided by  
its manufacturer.  
Type B—Latch the buckles onto the  
anchorages.  
For owners in Canada  
The symbol on a child restraint system  
indicates the presence of a lower connec-  
tor system.  
Do not install a child restraint sys-  
tem on the rear seat if it interferes  
with the lock mechanism of the  
front seats. Otherwise, the child or  
front seat occupant(s) may be killed  
or seriously injured in case of sud-  
den braking or a collision.  
If your child restraint system has a top  
strap, it should be anchored. (For the  
installation of the top strap, see “—Using  
a top strap” on page 98.)  
101  
102