2005 Lexus LX 470 Owners Manual - Page 161

OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS The front airbag sensors constantly monitor the forward deceleration of the vehicle. If an impact results in a forward deceleration beyond the designed threshold level, the system triggers the airbag inflators. At this time a chemical reaction in the inflators very quickly fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain the forward motion of the occupants. The front airbags then quickly deflate, so that there is no obstruction of the driver's vision should it be necessary to continue driving. When the airbags inflate, they produce a loud noise and release some smoke and residue along with non-toxic gas. This does not indicate a fire. This smoke may remain inside the vehicle for some time, and may cause some minor irritation to the eyes, skin or breathing. Be sure to wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent any potential skin irritation with soap and water. If you can safely exit from the vehicle, you should do so immediately. 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, primarily to the head and chest, it may also cause other, less severe injuries to the face, chest, arms and hands. These are usually in the nature of minor burns or abrasions and swelling, but the force of a deploying airbag can cause more serious injuries, especially if an occupant's hands, arms, chest or head is in close proximity to the airbag module at the time of deployment. 16x604 " 1 Airbag module for front passenger (airbag and inflator) 2 Airbag sensor assembly 3 SRS warning light 4 Airbag module for driver (airbag and inflator) 5 Driver's seat belt buckle switch 6 Driver's seat position sensor 7 Front airbag sensors The SRS front airbag system consists mainly of the above components, and their locations are shown in the illustration. The airbag sensor assembly consists of a safing sensor and airbag sensors. 137