Toyota AVALON 1996 Owner Manual
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS
AND CONTROLS—
Chapter 1-1
Overview of instruments
and controls
Instrument panel overview
Instrument cluster overview
Indicator symbols on the
instrument panel
1
Instrument panel overview
1. Side vent
2. Side defroster outlet
3. Tilt steering lock release lever
4. Automatic transmission selector
lever (column shift)
5. Center vents
6. Electric moon roof switch or front
interior light, and front personal lights
7. Power door lock switch
8. Power window switches
9. Seat heater switch
10.Glovebox
11.Automatic transmission selector
lever (floor shift)
12.Lower vent
13.Parking brake release lever
14.Parking brake pedal
2
1. Instrument panel light control dial
2. Headlight and turn signal switch
3. Wiper and washer switches
4. Driving pattern selector button
5. Thermometer
6. Clock
7. Emergency flasher switch
8. Car audio
9. Miscellany box
10.Air conditioning controls
11.Ashtray and cigarette lighter
12.Rear window defogger switch
13.Ignition switch
14.Cruise control switch
15.Power rear view mirror control switch
16.Headlight cleaner switch
3
Instrument cluster overview
1. Fuel gauge
2. Engine coolant temperature gauge
3. Tachometer
4
4. Speedometer
5. Odometer
6. Trip meter
7. Trip meter reset knob
8. Service reminder indicators or
indicator lights
9. Theft deterrent system indicator light
Indicator symbols on the instrument panel
Brake system warning light *
Seat belt reminder light*
Discharge warning light*
1
1
1
Low oil pressure warning light*
Malfunction indicator lamp*
Low fuel level warning light *
1
1
Anti-lock brake system warning light *
Open door warning light*
1
Rear light failure warning light*
1
SRS airbag warning light*
1
1
1
Turn signal indicator lights
Headlight high beam indicator light
5
Overdrive-off indicator light
Driving pattern indicator light
Cruise control indicator light *
Automatic transmission indicator lights
*1: For details, see “Service reminder indicators and warn-
ing buzzers” in Chapter 1-5.
*2: If this light flashes, see “Cruise control” in Chapter 1-6.
2
6
Part 1
OPERATION OF
INSTRUMENTS AND
CONTROLS—
Chapter 1-2
Keys and Doors
Keys
Side doors
Power windows
Trunk lid
Hood
Theft deterrent system
Fuel tank cap
Electric moon roof
Keys
Your vehicle is supplied with two
kinds of key.
1. Master key—This key works in every
lock.
2. Subkey—This key will not work in the
glovebox and trunk.
To protect things locked in the glovebox
when you have your vehicle parked, leave
the subkey with the attendant.
Since the doors and trunk lid can be
locked without a key, you should always
carry a spare master key in case you accidentally lock your keys inside the vehicle.
KEY NUMBER PLATE
Your key number is shown on the
plate. Keep the plate in a safe place
such as your wallet, not in the vehicle.
If you should lose your keys or if you need
additional keys, duplicates can be made
by a Toyota dealer using the key number.
You should also put a copy of the key
number with your important papers.
7
Side doors—
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
KEY
Insert the key into the keyhole and turn
it.
To lock: Turn the key forward.
To unlock: Turn the key backward.
All the doors lock and unlock simulta-
neously with either front door. In the driver’s door lock, turning the key once will unlock the driver’s door and twice in
succession will unlock all the doors simultaneously.
8
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH INSIDE LOCK KNOB
Move the lock knob.
To lock: Push the knob forward.
To unlock: Pull the knob backward.
Closing the door with the lock knob
pushed in will also lock the door. Be careful not to lock your keys in the vehicle.
The door cannot be locked if you leave the
key in the ignition switch.
Driver’s side
Passenger’s side
LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH
POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH
Push the switch.
To lock: Push the switch on the front side.
To unlock: Push the switch on the rear
side.
All the doors lock or unlock simultaneously.
REAR DOOR CHILD-PROTECTORS
Turn the lock knob to the “LOCK”
position as shown on the label.
This feature allows you to lock a rear door
so it can be opened from the outside only,
not from inside. We recommend using this
feature whenever small children are in the
vehicle.
CAUTION
!
Before driving, be sure that the
doors are closed and locked, especially when small children are in the
vehicle. Along with the proper use of
seat belts, locking the doors helps
prevent the driver and passengers
from being thrown out from the vehicle during an accident. It also
helps prevent the doors from being
opened unintentionally.
9
—Wireless remote control
Locking operation
Unlocking operation
Your vehicle has a wireless remote
control system that can lock or unlock
all the doors from a distance within
approximately 1 m (3 ft.) of the outside
handle of the driver’s door. When operated within approximately 1 m (3 ft.)
of the trunk lid, this system also opens
the trunk lid.
To lock or unlock all the doors, push
the switches of the transmitter.
To lock: Push the “LOCK” switch. All the
doors are locked simultaneously.
To unlock: Push the “UNLOCK” switch
once to unlock the driver’s door alone.
Pushing the switch twice within 5 seconds
unlocks all the doors simultaneously.
If any of the doors is not securely closed,
or if the key is in the ignition switch, locking
cannot be performed by the “LOCK”
switch.
Y ou have 30 seconds to open a door after
using the wireless unlock feature. If a door
is not opened by then, all the doors will be
automatically locked again.
If pushing the “LOCK” or “UNLOCK”
switch does not actuate the doors, and
you have checked the battery in the transmitter, consult your Toyota dealer.
To open the trunk lid, push the trunk
lid open switch.
To open the trunk lid with the master key,
see “Trunk lid”.
If the wireless remote control transmitter
does not operate from a normal distance:
Check the batteries in the transmitter.
To replace the batteries, see “Replacing transmitter batteries”.
Check for closeness to a radio trans-
mitter such as a r a d i o station or an airport which can interfere with normal
operation of the transmitter.
10
Wireless remote control transmitter:
Avoid knocking it hard against other
objects.
Avoid putting it in water.
Replacing transmitter batteries
The expected life of your transmitter batteries is ab o u t one year. For replacement,
use DURACELL DL2016 or equivalent.
a. Using a screwdriver, separate the two
halves of the transmitter with the transmitter buttons facing down.
Take care not to damage the rubber gasket during removal.
b. Remove and replace the transmitter
batteries.
If you touch a new battery with your fingers, clean it with rubbing alcohol. Skin
oils may shorten the batteries’ life.
c. Reassemble the transmitter case.
Make sure the gasket is properly installed.
After replacing batteries, check that the
transmitter operates properly. If the transmitter still does not operate properly , contact your Toyota dealer.
Power windows
MODEL/FCC ID: GQ43VT7T
ISC: 1470 K1361
MADE IN U.S.A.
This device complies with part 15 of th e
FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) This device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
The windows can be operated with the
switch on each door.
The power windows work when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position. However, if both front doors are closed, they work
for 60 seconds even after the ignition
switch is turned off. They stop working
when either front side door is opened.
OPERATING THE DRIVER’S WINDOW
Use the switch on the driver’s door.
Normal operation: The window moves
as long as you hold the switch.
To open: Lightly push down the switch.
To close: Pull up the switch.
11
Automatic operation (to open only):
Push the switch completely down and
then release it. The window will fully open.
To stop the window partway, lightly pull the
switch up and then release it.
12
OPERATING THE PASSENGERS’ WINDOWS
Use the switches on the passengers’
doors. The driver’s door also has
switches that control the passengers’
windows.
The window moves as long as you hold
the switch.
To open: Push down the switch.
To close: Pull up the switch.
If you push in the window lock button on
the driver’s door, the passenger’s windows cannot be operated.
CAUTION
!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following.
Always make sure the head, hands
and other parts of the body o f all occupants are kept completely inside
the vehicle before you close the
power windows. If someone’s
neck, head or hands gets caught in
a closing window, it could result in
a serious injury. When anyone
closes the power windows, be sure
that they operate the windows safely.
When small children are in the ve-
hicle, never let them use the power
window switches without supervision. Use the window lock button
to prevent them from making unexpected use of the switches.
Never leave small children alone in
the vehicle, especially with the ignition key still inserted. They could
use the power window switches
and get trapped in a window. Unattended children can become involved in serious accidents.
To open the trunk lid from the outside,
insert the master key and turn it clockwise.
See “Luggage stowage precautions” in
Part 2 for precautions to observe in loading luggage.
To close the trunk lid, lower it and press
down on it. After closing the trunk lid, try
pulling it up to make sure it is securely
closed.
!
CAUTION
Keep the trunk lid closed while driving. This not only keeps the luggage
from being thrown out but also prevents exhaust gases from entering
the vehicle.
—Lock release leverTrunk lid (type A)
To open the trunk lid from the driver’s
seat, pull up on the lock release lever.
13
—Luggage security system Trunk lid (type B) —Lock release button
This system deactivates the lock release lever so that things locked in the
trunk can be protected.
After closing the trunk lid, insert the
maste r k ey a nd t ur n it count erc lock wise
to deacti vate the lock release lever.
After closing the trunk lid, try pulling it up
to make sure it is securely locked.
14
To open the trunk lid from the outside,
insert the master key and turn it clockwise.
See “Luggage stowage precautions” in
Part 2 for precautions to observe in loading luggage.
To close the trunk lid, lower it and press
down on it. After closing the trunk lid, try
pulling it up to make sure it is securely
closed.
CAUTION
!
Keep the trunk lid closed while driving. This not only keeps the luggage
from being thrown out but also prevents exhaust gases from entering
the vehicle.
To open the trunk lid from the driver’s
seat, push the lock release button.
To safeguard the lock release button from
unwanted access, lock the glovebox.
(See “Glovebox” in Chapter 1-8.)
Hood—Luggage security system
This system helps protect things
locked in the trunk by safeguarding
the lock release button from unwanted
access.
After closing the glovebox lid, insert
the master key into the glovebox lock
and turn it clockwise to safeguard the
lock release button.
After closing the trunk lid, try pulling it up
to make sure it is securely locked.
To open the hood, do the following.
1. Pull the hood lock release lever.
The hood will spring up slightly.
2. In front of the vehicle, pull up on the
auxiliary catch lever and lift the hood.
Before closing the hood, check to see that
you have not forgotten any tools, rags,
etc. Then lower the hood until make sure
it locks into place. If necessary, press
down gently on front edge to lock it.
15
Theft deterrent system
To deter the vehicle theft, the system is
designed to give an alarm and keep the
engine from being started if any of the
doors, trunk or hood is forcibly unlocked or the battery terminal is disconnected and then reconnected
when the vehicle is locked.
The alarm blows the horn intermittently
and flashes the headlights, tail lights and
other exterior lights. The engine cannot
be started because the starter circuit will
be cut.
SETTING THE SYSTEM
1. Turn the ignition key to the “LOCK”
position and remove it.
2. Have all passengers get out of the vehicle.
3. Close and lock all the doors, trunk and
hood.
The indicator light will come on when all
the doors, trunk and hood are closed and
locked.
As the doors are locked, the system will
give you a preparation time of 30 seconds
before the setting, during which the doors,
trunk and hood may be opened to prepare
for the setting.
Be careful not to use the key or wireless
remote control transmitter when opening
any door. This will cancel the system.
4. After making sure the indicator light
starts flashing, you may leave the vehicle.
The system will automatically be set after
the preparation time passes. The indicator light will flash to show the system is
set. If any of the doors, trunk or hood is
open at that time, the setting is interrupted
until it is closed and locked.
Never leave anyone in the vehicle when
you set the system, because unlocking
from the inside will activate the system.
WHEN THE SYSTEM IS SET
Activating the system
The system will give the alarm and cut the
starter circuit under the following conditions:
If any of the doors, trunk or hood is un-
locked without using the key or wireless remote control transmitter
If the battery terminal is disconnected
and then reconnected
After one minute, the alarm will automatically stop with the starter circuit cut kept
on.
16
Reactivating the alarm
Once set, the system automatically resets
the alarm each time all the doors, trunk
and hood are closed after the alarm stops.
The alarm will be activated again under
the following conditions:
If any of the doors, trunk or hood is
opened
If the battery terminal is disconnected
and then reconnected
Stopping the alarm
Turn the ignition key from the “LOCK” to
“ACC” position. The alarm will be stopped
with the starter circuit kept on. Stopping
the alarm in this manner will keep the
alarm from being reactivated when any of
the doors, trunk or hood is opened.
Interrupting the setting
With the system set, the trunk can be
opened with the key or wireless remote
control transmitter without setting off the
system. While the truck is open, the setting is interrupted and the doors and hood
may be opened in addition. However,
when the battery terminal is reconnected,
the system is activated.
Close and lock the doors and hood, and
the system will automatically be reset after two seconds when the trunk is closed
with the key removed.
CANCELLING THE SYSTEM
Unlock either front door with the key or
wireless remote control transmitter. This
cancels the system completely and the
starter circuit cut will be cancelled at once.
INDICATOR LIGHT
The indicator light gives the following
three indications.
FLASHING—The system is set. You
need the key or wireless remote control
transmitter to open the doors, trunk and
hood.
ON—The system will automatically be set
when the time comes. The doors, trunk
and hood may be opened without a key or
wireless remote control transmitter.
OFF—The system is inactive. You may
open any door, trunk and hood.
TESTING THE SYSTEM
1. Open all the windows
2. Set the system as described above.
The doors should be locked with the key
or wireless remote control transmitter. B e
sure to wait until the indicator light starts
flashing.
3. Unlock any door from the inside. The
system should activate the alarm.
4. Cancel the system by unlocking any o f
the doors with the key or wireless remote
control transmitter.
5. Repeat this operation for the other
doors, trunk and hood. When testing on
the hood, also check that the system is activated when the battery terminal is disconnected and then reconnected.
If the system does not work properly, have
it checked by your Toyota dealer.
17
Fuel tank cap
CAUTION
!
Make sure the cap is tightened se-
curely to prevent fuel spillage in
case of an accident.
Use only a genuine Toyota fuel
tank cap for replacement. It has a
built in check valve to reduce fuel
tank vacuum.
1. To open the fuel filler door, pull the
lever up.
CAUTION
!
Do not smoke, cause sparks or al-
low open flames when refuelling.
The fumes are flammable.
When opening the cap, do not re-
move the cap quickly. In hot
weather, fuel under pressure
could cause injury by spraying
out of the filler neck if the cap is
suddenly removed.
18
2. To remove the fuel tank cap, turn
the cap slowly counterclockwise, then
pause slightly before removing it. After removing the cap, hang it on the
cap hanger.
It is not unusual to hear a slight swoosh
when the cap is opened. When installing,
turn the cap clockwise till you hear a click.
If the cap is not tightened securely, the
malfunction indicator lamp comes on.
Make sure the cap is tightened securely.
The indicator lamp goes off after driving
several times. If the indicator lamp does
not go off, contact your Toyota dealer as
soon as possible.
Electric moon roof
Sliding operation
Tilting operation
To operate the moon roof, use the
switches beside the interior light.
The moon roof works when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” position. However, if
all the doors are closed, it works for 60
seconds even after the ignition switch is
turned off. It stops working when any of
the doors are opened.
Sun shade operation—
The sun shade can be opened or closed
by hand.
Sliding operation—
To open: Push the switch on the “SLIDE”
side.
The sun shade will be opened together
with the roof.
To close: Push the switch on the opposite
side of the “SLIDE” side.
As a precaution when closing, the roof
stops at the three-quarters closed position before fully closing. Therefore, release the switch and then push it again to
close it completely.
Tilting operation—
To tilt up: Push the switch on the “UP”
side.
To lower: Push the switch on the opposite
side of the “UP” side.
You may stop the moon roof at any de-
sired position. The roof will move while the
switch is being pushed and stop when released.
CAUTION
!
To avoid serious personal injury, you
must do the following.
While the vehicle is moving, always
keep the head, hands and other
parts of the body of all occupants
away from the roof opening. Otherwise, you could be seriously injured if the vehicle stops suddenly
or if the vehicle is involved in an accident.
Always make sure nobody places
his/her head, hands and other parts
of the body in the roof opening before you close the roof. If someone’s neck, head or hands gets
caught in the closing roof, it could
result in a se r i ous injury. When anyone closes the roof, first make sure
it is safe to do so.
Never leave small children alone in
the vehicle, especially with the ignition key still inserted. They could
use the moon roof switches and get
trapped in the roof opening. Unattended children can become involved in serious accidents.
Never sit on top of the vehicle
around the roof opening.
19
20
To turn on the seat heater, push the
switch.
The key must be in the “ON” position.
Pushing on the opposite side will turn it o ff.
NOTICE
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, turn the switch on
when the engine is running.
Seat belts—
—Seat belt precautions
Toyota recommends that the driver and
passengers in the vehicle be properly restrained 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.
Baby or small child. Use a child restraint
system which fits your vehicle. See “Child
restraint” for details.
Child. 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. Do not allow the child to stand up or
kneel on either rear or front seats. If the
shoulder belt falls across the child’s neck
or face, have the child sit slightly closer to
the buckle side or the seat so that the belt
lays across the shoulder.
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.
Injured person. Toyota recommends the
use of a seat belt. Depending on the injury,
first check with your doctor for specific
recommendations.
CAUTION
!
Persons should ride in their seats
properly wearing their seat belts
whenever the vehicle is moving.
Otherwise, th ey are much more likely
to suffer serious bodily injury in the
event of sudden bra king o r a collision.
When using the seat belts, observe
the following:
Use the belt for only one person at
a time. Do not use a single belt for
two or more people—even children.
Avoid reclining the seatbacks too
much. The seat belts provide maximum protection when the seatbacks are in the upright position.
(See the seat adjustment instructions.)
Be careful not to damage the belt
webbing or hardware. Take care
that they do not get caught or
pinched in the seat or side doors.
Inspect the belt system periodical-
ly. check for cuts, fraying, and
loose parts. Damaged parts should
be replaced. Do not disassemble or
modify the system.
25
Keep the belts clean and dry. If they
need cleaning, use a mild soap
solution or lukewarm water. Never
use bleach, dye, or abrasive cleaners—they may severely weaken the
belts.
Replace the belt assembly (includ-
ing bolts) if it has been used i n a severe impact. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if damage
is not obvious.
—Front and rear seat belts
(3-point type)
26
Front passenger’s seat only (ex-
cept the center position of bench
front seat). Replace the belt if the
warning label under the sleeve can
be seen. The warning label, “REPLACE BELT”, will appear if the
belt receives a severe impact or
other force.
Adjust the seat as needed (front seats
only) and sit up straight and well back
in the seat. To fasten your belt, pull it
out of the retractor and insert the tab
into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
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.
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.
When a passenger’s shoulder belt is completely extended and is then retracted
even slightly, the belt is locked in that position and cannot be extended. This feature
is used to hold the child restraint system
securely . (F o r d e t a i l s , see “Child restraint”
in this chapter.) To free the belt again, fully
retract the belt and then pull the belt out
once more.
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is 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, immediately contact
your Toyota dealer.
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.
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 increase the chance of injury.
27
—Front center seat belt
(2-point type)
Adjust the position of the lap and
shoulder belts
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips—not your waist, then adjust it to
a snug fit by pulling the shoulder portion
upward through the latch plate.
CAUTION
!
High-positioned lap belts and
loose-fitting belts both could increase the chance of injury due to
sliding under the lap belt during an
accident. Keep the lap belt as low
on your hip bone as possible.
For your safety, do not place the
shoulder belt under your arm.
28
To release the belt, press the bucklerelease button and allow the belt to retract.
If the belt does not retract smoothly, pull
it out and check for kinks or twists. Then
make sure it remains untwisted as it retracts.
Sit up straight and well back in the
seat. To fasten your belt, insert the tab
into the buckle.
You will hear a click when the tab locks
into the buckle.
If the belt is not long enough for you, hold
the tab at a right angle to the belt and pull
on the tab.
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the belt is 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, immediately contact
your Toyota dealer.
Remove excess length of the belt and
adjust the belt position.
To shorten the belt, pull the free end of the
belt.
Position the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips—not on your waist, then adjust
it to a snug fit.
CAUTION
!
High-positioned and loose-fitting
lap belt could increase the chance of
injury due to sliding under the lap
belt during an accident. Keep the lap
belt positioned as low on your hip
bone as possible.
To release the belt, press the bucklerelease button.
29
—Stowing the front center
seat belt —Seat belt extender
If your seat belt cannot be fastened securely because it is not long enough, a
personalized seatbelt extender is available from your Toyota dealer free of
charge.
Please contact your local Toyota dealer
so that the dealer can order the proper required length for the extender. Bring the
heaviest coat you expect to wear for proper measurement and selection of length.
Additional ordering information is available at your Toyota dealer.
CAUTION
The front center seat belts can be
stowed when not in use.
When using the seat belt extender,
observe the following. Failure to
follow these instructions could result in less effectiveness of the seat
belt restraint system in case of vehicle accident, increasing the
chance of personal injury.
Never use the seat belt extender if
you can fasten the seat belt without it.
Remember that the extender pro-
vided for you may not be safe
when used on a different vehicle,
or for another person or at a different seating position than the one
originally intended for.
!
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 extender 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 extender itself.
When not in use, remove the extender
and store in the vehicle for future use.
30
CAUTION
!
After inserting the tab, make sure
the tab and buckle are locked and
that the seat belt extender is 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, immediately contact your
Toyota dealer.
SRS airbags
In response to a severe frontal impact, the
SRS airbags work together with the seat
belts to prevent or reduce injury by inflating, in order to decrease the likelihood of
the driver’s or front passenger’s head or
chest directly hitting the steering wheel or
dashboard. The passenger airbag is activated even with no passenger in the front
seat.
The SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) airbags are designed to provide
further protection to occupants in the
following seats when added to the primary protection provided by the seat
belts.
Vehicles with separate front seats—
The SRS airbags are designed to protect the driver and front passenger.
Vehicles with bench front seats—The
SRS airbags are designed to protect
the driver and right-front passenger.
They are not designed to protect occupant in the center position.
31
This indicator comes on when the
ignition key is turned to the “ACC” or
“ON” position. It goes off after about 6
seconds. This means the SRS airbags
are operating properly.
The SRS airbag warning light system
monitors the airbag sensor assembly, inflators, warning light, interconnecting wiring and power sources.
The SRS airbag system is designed to
activate in response to a severe frontal
impact within the shaded area between the arrows in the illustration.
The SRS airbags will deploy if the severity
of the impact is above the designed
threshold level, comparable to an approximate 20 km/h (14 mph) collision when impacting straight into a fixed barrier that
does not move or deform.
If the severity of the impact is below the
above threshold level, the SRS airbags
may not deploy.
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 i t i s involved in an underride collision (e.g. a collision in which the nose of
the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under,
the bed of a truck).
It is possible with collision severity at the
marginal level of airbag sensor detection
and activation that only one of your vehicle’s two airbags will deploy.
For the safety of all occupants, be sure to
always wear seat belts.
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The SRS airbags are not designed to
inflate if the vehicle is subjected to a
side or rear impact, if it rolls over, or if
it is involved in a low-speed frontal
collision.
The SRS airbag system mainly consists
of the following components and their
locations are shown in the illustration.
1 Airbag sensor assembly
2 Steering wheel pad (airbag and inflator)
3 Passenger airbag module (airbag and
inflator)
4 SRS airbag warning light
The airbag sensor assembly consists of a
safing sensor and airbag sensor.
In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect
deceleration and the system triggers the
airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction
in the inflators momentarily fills the airbags with non-toxic nitrogen gas to help
restrain the forward motion of the occupants.
When the airbags inflate, they produce a
fairly loud noise and release some smoke
along with the nitrogen gas. This is not
harmful and does not indicate a fire. Be
sure to wash off any residue as soon as
possible to prevent minor skin irritation.
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 injuries, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swellings.
Parts of the airbag module (steering
wheel hub, dashboard) may be hot for
several minutes, but the airbags themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate only once.
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A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may break the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a passenger airbag the windshield may also be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
CAUTION
!
The SRS airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the primary protection of the seat belt systems of the driver and front passenger. The front seat occupants are
particularly susceptible to injury if
they do not wear their seat belts;
when sudden braking or a collision
occurs, they may be thrown forward. To obtain further protection
in an accident, the driver and all
passengers in the vehicle should
always wear their seat belts when
driving. For instructions and precautions concerning the seat belt
system, see “Seat belts” in this
chapter.
A baby or small child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured in a rear seat using a child restraint system.
Do not use a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front seat because the force of the rapid inflation of the passenger airbag may
cause severe injury to the child. Vehicles with a passenger airbag display a caution label on the passenger side instrument panel as
shown above to remind you not to
install a rear-facing child restraint
system on the front seat.
When using a forward-facing child
restraint system in the front seat,
the seat must be moved as far back
as possible. For instructions concerning the installation of a child
restraint system, see “Child restraint” in this chapter.
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