Toyota RAV4 1997 Owner's Manual page 30

Toyota rav4 1997
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In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect
deceleration and the system triggers the
airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction
in the inflators momentairly 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 inju-
ries, 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 them-
selves will not be hot. The airbags are de-
signed to inflate only once.
A crash severe enough to inflate the air-
bags may break the windshield as the ve-
hicle buckles. In vehicles with a passen-
ger airbag the windshield may also be
damaged by absorbing some of the force
of the inflating airbag.
WWW.MANUALS.WS
CAUTION
!
D The SRS airbag system is de-
signed only as a supplement to
the primary protection of the driv-
er side and front passenger side
seat belt systems. The front seat
occupants are particularly sus-
ceptable to death or serious injury
if they do not wear their seat belts;
when sudden braking or a colli-
sion occurs, they may be thrown
forward into deployed SRS air-
bags. To obtain maximum protec-
tion in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle
should always
belts when driving because death
or serious injuries can result to
unrestrainted occupants. For in-
structions and precautions con-
cering
the seat belt systems, see
"Seat belts" in this chapter.
D A baby or small child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured in a rear seat
WWW.MANUALS.WS
using a child restraint system.
D Never put a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front seat be-
wear their seat
cause the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the passenger airbag can
cause death or serious injury to
the child.
39

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