1998 Lexus SC 400 Owners Manual - Page 97

COMFORT ADJUSTMENT For the safety of all occupants, be sure to always wear seat belts. In a severe frontal impact, sensors detect deceleration and the system triggers the airbag inflators. Then a chemical reaction in the inflators momentarily fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the forward motion of the occupants. When the airbags inflate, they produce a fairly loud noise. And the driver airbag also releases some smoke along with non-toxic gas. This 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 injuries, it may also cause minor burns or abrasions and swellings. The SRS airbags are not designed to inflate if the vehicle is subjected to a side or rear impact, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in a low-speed frontal collision. Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, dashboard) may be hot for several minutes, but the airbags themselves will not be hot. The airbags are designed to inflate only once. A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may break the windshield as the vehicle buckles. In vehicles with a passenger airbag the windshield may also be damaged by absorbing some of the force of the inflating airbag. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and airbag sensor. 80