2002 Toyota Avalon Owners Manual - Page 68

'02 AVALON U (L/O 0107) Collision from the rear In a severe side impact, the side airbag sensor triggers the side airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction in the inflators quickly fills the airbags with non−toxic gas to help restrain the lateral motion of the occupants. When the airbags inflate, they produce a fairly loud noise and release some 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 minor skin irritation. Deployment of the airbags happens 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 swelling. Front seats may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate only once. Collision from the front Vehicle rollover The SRS side airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle is involved in a front or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in a low−speed side collision. The SRS side airbag system consists mainly of the following components, and their locations are shown in the illustration. 1. SRS warning light 2. Airbag sensor assembly 3. Side airbag modules (airbag and inflator) 4. Side airbag sensors The SRS side airbag system is controlled by the airbag sensor assembly. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and airbag sensor. 2002 MY AVALON_U (OM22493U) 67