1998 Lexus SC 300 Owners Manual - Page 94

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT Front seat belt pretensioners The driver and front passenger's seat belt pretensioners are designed to be activated in response to a severe frontal impact. The airbag system and each pretensioner operates independently because each has its own separate sensor. A pretensioner sensor is located in each front seat belt retractor assembly. When the pretensioner sensor detects the shock of a severe frontal impact, the front seat belt is quickly drawn back in by the retractor so that the belt snugly restrains the front seat occupant. When a seat belt pretensioner is activated, an operating noise may be heard and a small amount of smoke-like gas may be released. This gas is harmless and does not indicate that a fire is occurring. Once the seat belt pretensioner has been activated, the seat belt retractor remains locked. CAUTION Do not modify, remove or strike the front seat belt retractor assemblies or surrounding area. Doing any of these may cause sudden operation of the front seat belt pretensioners or disable the system, which could result in personal injury. Failure to follow these instructions can result in severe injuries. 77