Toyota 1997 Tercel, Owner'S Manual, Page: 32 / 184

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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 momentarily 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 frac-
tion 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.
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 air-
bags may break the windshield as the ve-
hicle buckles. In vehicles with a passenger
airbag the windshield may also be dam-
aged by absorbing some of the force of the
inflating airbag.
CAUTION
!
The SRS airbag system is designed
only as a supplement to the prima-
ry protection of the seat belt sys-
tems of the driver and front passen-
ger. The front seat occupants are
particularly susceptible to injury if
they do not wear their seat belts;
when sudden braking or a collision
occurs, they may be thrown for-
ward. To obtain maximum protec-
tion in an accident, the driver and
all passengers in the vehicle
should
always wear their seat belts
when driving because serious in-
juries can result to unrestrained
occupants. For instructions and
precautions concerning the seat
belt system, see “Seat belts” in this
chapter.
A baby or small child who is too
small to use a seat belt should be
properly secured in a rear seat us-
ing a child restraint system.
Never put a rear-facing child re-
straint system in the front seat be-
cause the force of the rapid infla-
tion of the passenger airbag can
cause severe injury to the child.