Get Occupant restraint systems -> Seat belts Guide for Toyota Rav4 SUV Third Generation (2006-2012)

’07 Rav4_U (L/O 0701)

Seat belts—

—Seat belt precautions

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.

NOTICE

CAUTION

z Do not put unevenly weighed ob-

jects on the seat and do not stick

sharp objects (needles, nails, etc.)

into the seat.

Occupants must use caution when op-

erating the seat heater because it

may make them feel too hot or cause

burns at low temperatures (erythema,

varicella). Use extra caution for;

The seat belts provided for your vehicle

are designed for people of adult size,

large enough to properly wear them.

z When cleaning the seats, do not

use organic substances (paint thin-

ner, benzine, alcohol, gasoline,

etc.). They may damage the heater

and seat surface.

D Babies, small children, elderly per-

sons, sick persons or persons with

physical disabilities

Child. Use a child restraint system ap-

propriate for the child until the child be-

comes large enough to properly wear the

vehicle’s seat belts. See “Child restraint”

on page 85 in this Section for details.

D Persons who have sensitive skin

D Persons who are exhausted

z To prevent the battery from being

discharged, turn the switch off

when the engine is not running.

D Persons who have taken alcohol or

drugs which induce sleep (sleeping

drug, cold remedy, etc.)

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.

To prevent the seat overheating, do

not use the seat heater with a blan-

ket, cushion, or other insulating ob-

jects which cover the seat.

If a child must sit in the front seat, the

seat belts should be worn properly. If an

accident occurs and 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.

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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.

D Be careful not to damage the belt

CAUTION

webbing or hardware. Take care that

they do not get caught or pinched

in the seat or side doors.

Persons should ride in their seats

properly wearing their seat belts

whenever the vehicle is moving.

Otherwise, they are much more likely

to suffer death or serious bodily inju-

ry, in the event of sudden braking or

a collision.

D 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.

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.

When using the seat belts, observe

the following:

D 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 379

in Section 5.)

D Use the belt for only one person at

a time. Do not use a single belt for

two or more people—even children.

Injured person. Toyota recommends the

use of a seat belt. Depending on the inju-

ry, first check with your doctor for specific

recommendations.

D 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

D 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.

event of

a

frontal collision, the

more the seat is reclined, the great-

er the risk of death or serious inju-

ry.

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’07 Rav4_U (L/O 0701)

—Fastening front and rear

seat belts

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 85 in this Section.) To

free the belt again, fully retract the belt

and then pull the belt out once more.

Take up

slack

Too high

Tab

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.

Buckle

Keep as low on

hips as possible

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.

Adjust the position of the lap and

shoulder belts.

CAUTION

D 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.

You will hear a click when the tab locks

into the buckle.

D Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in

the buckle as this may prevent you

from properly latching the tab and

buckle.

The seat belt length automatically adjusts

to your size and the seat position.

D 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.

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.

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CAUTION

D 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.

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.

D Do not place the shoulder belt un-

der your arm.

Seat belts with an adjustable shoulder

anchor—

Adjust the shoulder anchor position to

your size.

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.

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To release the belt, press the buckle

release button and allow the belt to

retract.

REAR/SECOND CENTER SEAT BELT

Two buckles and tabs for rear/second

center seat belt

The rear/second center seat belt is

a

3−point type restraint with 2 buckles. Both

seat belt buckles must be correctly lo-

cated and securely latched for proper op-

eration.

The two tabs have different shape for its

end so that the belt is not buckled in the

wrong place.

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.

Buckle 1—Properly matches with hook

end tab

Make sure that buckle

1

is securely

latched for ready use of the center seat

belt.

Buckle 2—Properly matches with round

end tab

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’07 Rav4_U (L/O 0701)

CAUTION

Make sure the both buckles are cor-

rectly located and securely latched.

Failure to properly match the buckle

and tab may cause death or severe

injury in case of an accident or a

collision.

To release the hook end tab, insert the

key into the hole on the buckle and allow

the belt to retract.

CAUTION

Do not use the rear/second center

seat belt with either buckle released.

Fastening only the shoulder belt or

lap belt may cause death or severe

personal injury in case of sudden

braking or a collision.

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—Stowing the rear seat belt

buckles

—Stowing the rear/second

center seat belt

The rear seat belt buckles can be

stowed when not in use.

The seat belt buckles must be stowed

before you fold the seatback.

CAUTION

Before using the seat belt, pull out

the buckle and make sure the belt is

not twisted.

Rear/second seat belt buckles

STOWING THE REAR/SECOND CENTER

SEAT BELT

Insert the tabs of the center seat belt

into the cover as shown above. Make

sure the tabs are securely locked in the

cover.

The seat belt must be stowed before you

fold the seatback.

NOTICE

Stow the rear/second center seat belt

when not in use.

Third seat belt buckles

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—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.

D Make sure the “AIRBAG ON”

indicator light is illuminated when

using the seat belt extender for the

front

passenger

seat.

If

the

“AIRBAG OFF” indicator light is

illuminated, disconnect the extender

tongue from the seat belt buckle,

then reconnect the seat belt.

Reconnect the seat belt extender

after making sure the “AIRBAG ON”

indicator light is illuminated. If you

use the seat belt extender while the

“AIRBAG OFF” indicator light is

illuminated, the front passenger

airbag and side airbag on the front

passenger side may not activate

correctly, causing death or serious

injury in the event of collision.

Please contact your local Toyota dealer to

order the proper required length for the

extender. Bring the heaviest coat you ex-

pect to wear for proper measurement and

selection of length. Additional ordering in-

formation is available at your Toyota deal-

er.

CAUTION

D 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

death or serious injury.

D Be sure to wear the seat belt with-

out the seat belt extender if you

can fasten the seat belt without the

extender.

D 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.

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As far as the seat belt extender on the

D 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.

front passenger side is concerned, do not

fail to disconnect the extender from the

seat belt after the above operation in or-

der to activate the front passenger airbag

correctly when getting into the vehicle

next time.

a

When not in use, remove the extender

and store in the vehicle for future use.

CAUTION

D 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.

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.

D Do not insert coins, clips, etc. in

the buckle as this may prevent you

from properly latching the tab and

buckle.

You will hear a click when the tab locks

into the buckle.

D 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.

When releasing the seat belt, press on

the buckle release button on the extender,

not on the seat belt. This helps prevent

damage to the vehicle interior and extend-

er itself.

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—Seat belt pretensioners

Vehicles with curtain shield airbags—When

the sensor detects a severe frontal impact

or a vehicle roll over, the front seat belts

are quickly drawn back by the retractors

so that the belts snugly restrain the occu-

pants.

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 in this

Section.)

Vehicles without curtain shield air-

bags—The driver and front passenger

seat belt pretensioners 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.

1. Front airbag sensors

2. SRS warning light

Vehicles with curtain shield airbags—

The driver and front passenger seat

belt pretensioners are designed to be

activated in response to a severe fron-

tal impact or a vehicle roll over.

The seat belt pretensioners and SRS air-

bags may not operate together in all colli-

sions.

3. “AIRBAG ON” and “AIRBAG OFF” indi-

cator lights

4. Front passenger occupant classification

system (ECU and sensors)

Vehicles without curtain shield airbags—

When the sensor detects a severe frontal

impact, the front seat belts are quickly

drawn back by the retractors so that the

belts snugly restrain the occupants.

5. Seat belt pretensioner assemblies

6. Front passenger’s seat belt buckle

switch

7. Airbag sensor assembly

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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

interfere 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 non−toxic 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 igni-

tion key is turned to the “ON” position.

It goes off after about 6 seconds. This

means the seat belt pretensioners are

operating properly.

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

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

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SRS airbags—

—SRS driver airbag and front

passenger airbag

This warning light system monitors the

airbag sensor assembly, front airbag sen-

sors, side and curtain shield airbag sen-

sors, curtain shield airbag sensors, driv-

er’s seat position sensor, driver’s seat belt

buckle switch, “AIRBAG ON” indicator

light, “AIRBAG OFF” indicator light, front

passenger’s seat belt buckle switch, seat

belt pretensioner assemblies, inflators, in-

terconnecting wiring and power sources.

(For details, see “Service reminder indica-

tors and warning buzzers” on page 127 in

Section 1−6.)

If any of the following conditions occurs,

this indicates a malfunction of the airbags

or seat belt pretensioners. Contact your

Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

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.

D The front of the vehicle (shaded in the

illustration) was involved in an accident

that was not severe enough to cause

the seat belt pretensioners to operate.

D The light does not come on when the

ignition key is turned to the “ON” posi-

tion or remains on for more than 6

seconds.

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 classification

sensor etc.

D Either seat belt pretensioner assembly

or surrounding area is scratched,

cracked, or otherwise damaged.

D The light comes on while driving.

D If any seat belt does not retract or

cannot be pulled out due to a malfunc-

tion or activation of the relevant seat

belt pretensioner.

D The seat belt pretensioner assembly or

surrounding area has been damaged.

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Occupant restraint systems -> Seat belts for Your Toyota Rav4 SUV Third Generation (2006-2012)

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