Toyota HIACE 2006 Owner's Manual page 60

Deployment of the airbag happens in a
fraction of a second, so the airbag 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.
Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel
hub) may be hot for several minutes after
deployment, so do not touch! The airbag
inflates only once. The windshield may be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
&
CAUTION
A driver too close to the steering
wheel 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.
• All vehicle occupants be properly
restrained using the available seat
belts.
For instructions and precautions con-
cerning the seating position, see
"-Front seat precautions" on page
32 in this Section.
• Do not put anything or any part of
your body on or in front of the
steering wheel pad. They might re-
strict inflation or cause death or
serious injury as they are projected
rearward by the force of a deploy-
ing airbag. Likewise, the driver
should not hold objects in his/her
arms or on his/her knees.
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