Toyota Hiace Owner's Manual page 37

In a severe frontal impact, the sensor de-
tects deceleration and the system triggers
the airbag inflator. At this time a chemical
reaction in the inflator quickly fills the air-
bag with non−toxic gas to help restrain
the forward motion of the driver.
When the airbag inflates, it produces a
fairly loud noise and releases
smoke and residue along with non−toxic
gas. This does not indicate a fire. This
gas is normally harmless; however, for
those who have delicate skin, it may
cause a minor skin irritation. Be sure to
wash off any residue as soon as possible
to prevent any potential skin irritation.
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, it may also cause minor burns or
abrasions and swelling.
The steering wheel hub may be hot for
several minutes, but the airbag itself will
not be hot. The airbag is designed to
inflate only once.
30
CAUTION
The SRS airbag system is designed
D
only as a supplement to the prima-
ry protection of the driver side seat
belt system. The driver can be
killed or seriously injured by the
some
inflating airbag if he/she does not
wear the available seat belt proper-
ly. During sudden braking just be-
fore a collision, an unrestrained
driver can move forward into direct
contact with or close proximity to
the airbag which may then deploy
during the collision. To ensure max-
imum protection in an accident, the
driver and all passengers in the ve-
hicle 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" in this Section.
Do not put objects or your pets on
D
or in front of the steering wheel
pad. They might restrict inflation or
cause death or serious injury as
they are projected rearward by the
force of the deploying airbag. Like-
wise, the driver should not hold ob-
jects in his/her arms or on his/her
knees.