Get Before driving -> SRS airbags Guide for Toyota Prius 4 Door Third Generation (2010-2015)

1-8. Safet y inform at ion

SRS airbags

The SRS airbags inflate when the vehicle is subjected to certain

types of severe impacts that may cause significant injury to the

occupants. They work together with the seat belts to help reduce the

risk of death or serious injury.

SRS front airbags

SRS driver airbag/front passenger airbag

Can help protect the head and chest of the driver and front pas-

senger from impact with interior components

SRS knee airbag

Can help provide driver protection

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1-8. Safety information

SRS side and curtain shield airbags

SRS side airbags

Can help protect the torso of the front seat occupants

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SRS curtain shield airbags

Can help protect primarily the head of occupants in the outer

seats

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1-8. Safety information

SRS airbag system components

Front passenger airbag

Side impact sensors (front)

“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG

OFF” indicator lights

Seat belt pretensioners and

force limiters

Side airbags

Driver’s seat belt buckle

switch

Curtain shield airbags

Driver’s seat position sensor

Driver’s knee airbag

Front passenger occupant

classification system (ECU

and sensors)

Front passenger’s seat belt

buckle switch

Side impact sensors (rear)

SRS warning light

Driver airbag

Front impact sensors

Airbag sensor assembly

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1-8. Safety information

Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based

on the US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The airbag

sensor assembly (ECU) controls airbag deployment based on infor-

mation obtained from the sensors etc. shown in the system compo-

nents diagram above. This information includes crash severity and

occupant information. As the airbags deploy, a chemical reaction in

the inflators quickly fills the airbags with nontoxic gas to help restrain

the motion of the occupants.

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■If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)

●Bruising and slight abrasions may result from contact with a deploying

(inflating) SRS airbag.

●A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.

●Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator)

as well as the front seats, parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof side

rails, may be hot for several minutes. The airbag itself may also be hot.

●The windshield may crack.

●For Safety Connect subscribers, if the SRS airbags deploy or in the event

of a severe rear-end collision, the system is designed to send an emer-

gency call to the response center, notifying them of the vehicle’s location

(without needing to push the “SOS” button) and an agent will attempt to

speak with the occupants to ascertain the level of emergency and assis-

tance required. If the occupants are unable to communicate, the agent

automatically treats the call as an emergency and helps to dispatch the

necessary emergency services. (P. 388)

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1-8. Safety information

■SRS airbag deployment conditions (SRS front airbags)

●The SRS front airbags will deploy in the event of an impact that exceeds

the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to an approxi-

mately 12 - 18 mph [20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with a fixed wall that

does not move or deform).

However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher in the following

situations:

• If the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign pole,

which can move or deform on impact

• If the vehicle is involved in an underride collision such as a collision in

which the front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a

truck

●Depending on the type of collision, it is possible that only the seat belt

pretensioners will activate.

●The SRS front airbags for the front passenger will not activate if there is

no passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the SRS front

airbags for the front passenger may deploy if luggage is put in the seat,

even if the seat is unoccupied. (P. 154)

■SRS airbag deployment conditions (SRS side and curtain shield air-

bags)

The SRS side and curtain shield airbags will deploy in the event of an impact

that exceeds the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to the

impact force produced by an approximately 3300 lb. [1500 kg] vehicle collid-

ing with the vehicle cabin from a direction perpendicular to the vehicle orien-

tation at an approximate speed of 12 - 18 mph [20 - 30 km/h]).

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1-8. Safety information

■Conditions under which the SRS airbags may deploy (inflate), other

than a collision

The SRS front airbags may also deploy if a serious impact occurs to the

underside of your vehicle. Some examples are shown in the illustration.

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●Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or

hard surface

●Falling into or jumping over a deep hole

●Landing hard or falling

■Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags (SRS front air-

bags)

The SRS front airbags do not generally 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. But, whenever a collision of any type causes sufficient forward

deceleration of the vehicle, deployment of the SRS front airbags may occur.

●Collision from the side

●Collision from the rear

●Vehicle rollover

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1-8. Safety information

■Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags

(SRS side and curtain shield airbags)

The SRS side and curtain shield airbags 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.

●Collision from the side to the vehicle

body other than the passenger com-

partment

●Collision from the side at an angle

The SRS side and curtain shield airbags do not generally inflate if the vehi-

cle is involved in a frontal or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in

a low-speed side collision.

●Collision from the front

●Collision from the rear

●Vehicle rollover

■When to contact your Toyota dealer

In the following cases, the vehicle will require inspection and/or repair. Con-

tact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

●Any of the SRS airbags has been inflated.

●The front of the vehicle is damaged or

deformed, or was involved in an acci-

dent that was not severe enough to

cause the SRS airbags to inflate.

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1-8. Safety information

●A portion of a door is damaged or

deformed, or the vehicle was involved

in an accident that was not severe

enough to cause the SRS side and cur-

tain shield airbags to inflate.

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●The pad section of the steering wheel,

dashboard near the front passenger air-

bag or lower portion of the driver’s side

instrument panel is scratched, cracked,

or otherwise damaged.

●The surface of the seats with the side

airbag is scratched, cracked, or other-

wise damaged.

●The portion of the front pillars, rear pil-

lars or roof side rail garnishes (padding)

containing the curtain shield airbags

inside is scratched, cracked, or other-

wise damaged.

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■SRS airbag precautions

Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags.

Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.

●The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts

properly.

The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.

●The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause

death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advises:

Since the risk zone for 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 pro-

vides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the

center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10 in.

(250 mm) away now, you can change your driving position in several

ways:

• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the

pedals comfortably.

• Slightly recline the back of the seat.

Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in.

(250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, 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.

• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-

bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.

The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still

maintaining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the

instrument panel controls.

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■SRS airbag precautions

●If the seat belt extender has been con-

nected to the front seat belt buckles but

the seat belt extender has not also

been fastened to the latch plate of the

seat belt, the SRS front airbags will

judge that the driver and front passen-

ger are wearing the seat belt even

though the seat belt has not been con-

nected. In this case, the SRS front air-

bags may not activate correctly in a

collision, resulting in death or serious

injury in the event of a collision. Be sure

to wear the seat belt with the seat belt

extender.

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●The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and

can cause death or serious injury especially if the front passenger is very

close to the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the air-

bag as possible with the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits

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 sys-

tem. Toyota 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. 160)

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■SRS airbag precautions

●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 unit or

sit on the knees of a front passenger.

●Do not allow the front seat occupants to

hold items on their knees.

●Do not lean against the door, the roof

side rail or the front, side and rear pil-

lars.

●Do not allow anyone to kneel on the

passenger seat toward the door or put

their head or hands outside the vehicle.

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■SRS airbag precautions

●Do not attach anything to or lean any-

thing against areas such as the dash-

board, steering wheel pad and lower

portion of the instrument panel.

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These items can become projectiles

when the SRS driver, front passenger

and knee airbags deploy.

●Do not attach anything to areas such as

a door, windshield glass, side door

glass, front or rear pillar, roof side rail,

and assist grip.

●Do not hang coat hangers or hard objects on the coat hooks. All of these

items could become projectiles and may cause death or serious injury,

should the SRS curtain shield airbags deploy.

●If a vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS knee airbags will deploy,

be sure to remove it.

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■SRS airbag precautions

●Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side

airbags inflate as they may interfere with inflation of the airbags. Such

accessories may prevent the side airbags from activating correctly, disable

the system or cause the side airbags to inflate accidentally, resulting in

death or serious injury.

●Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-

bag components.

Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.

●Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-

bags 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.

●If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel

pad and front and rear pillar garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have

them replaced by your Toyota 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 may not deploy in the event of a collision.

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1-8. Safety information

CAUTION

■Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components

Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications

without consulting your Toyota dealer. The SRS airbags may malfunction or

deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.

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●Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags

●Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,

instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear

pillars or roof side rails

●Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the

occupant compartment

●Installation of snow plows, winches, etc. to the front grille (bull bars or kan-

garoo bar etc.)

●Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system

●Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios and CD

players

●Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

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