Scion iM. Service Manual - part 2

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WARNING

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Using a seat belt extender

l

Do not wear the seat belt extender if you can fasten the seat belt without
the extender.

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Do not use the seat belt extender when installing a child restraint system
because the belt will not securely hold the child restraint system, increas-
ing the risk of death or serious injury in the event of an accident.

l

The personalized extender may not be safe on another vehicle, when
used by another person, or at a different seating position other than the
one originally intended.

NOTICE

n

When using a seat belt extender
When releasing the seat belt, press on the buckle release button on the
extender, not on the seat belt.
This helps prevent damage to the vehicle interior and the extender itself.

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u

SRS front airbags

SRS driver airbag/front passenger airbag
Can help protect the head and chest of the driver and front passen-
ger from impact with interior components

SRS driver’s knee airbag
Can help provide driver protection

SRS seat cushion airbag
Can help restrain the front passenger

SRS airbags

The SRS airbags inflate when the vehicle is subjected to certain
types of severe impacts that may cause significant injury to the
occupants. They work together with the seat belts to help reduce
the risk of death or serious injury.

1

2

3

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SRS side and curtain shield airbags

SRS front side airbags
Can help protect the torso of the front seat occupants

SRS curtain shield airbags

l Can help protect primarily the head of occupants in the outer

seats

l Can prevent the occupants from being thrown from the vehicle in

the event of vehicle rollover

4

5

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SRS airbag system components

Airbag sensor assembly

Front impact sensors

Seat cushion airbag

Front passenger occupant
classification system (ECU
and sensors)

Front passenger airbag

Side impact sensors (front
doors)

Side airbags

Seat belt pretensioners and
force limiters

Side impact sensors (front)

“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG
OFF” indicator lights

Curtain shield airbags

SRS warning light

Side impact sensors (rear)

Driver airbag

Driver’s seat belt buckle
switch

Driver’s seat position sensor

Driver’s knee airbag

Front passenger’s seat belt
buckle switch

1
2
3
4

5
6

7
8

9

10

11

12
13
14
15

16
17
18

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Your vehicle is equipped with ADVANCED AIRBAGS designed based
on the US motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS208). The airbag
sensor assembly (ECU) controls airbag deployment based on infor-
mation obtained from the sensors etc. shown in the system compo-
nents diagram above. This information includes crash severity and
occupant information. As the airbags deploy, a chemical reaction in
the inflators quickly fills the airbags with non-toxic gas to help restrain
the motion of the occupants.

WARNING

n

SRS airbag precautions
Observe the following precautions regarding the SRS airbags. 
Failure to do so may cause death or serious injury.

l

The driver and all passengers in the vehicle must wear their seat belts
properly.
The SRS airbags are supplemental devices to be used with the seat belts.

l

The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause
death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advises:

Since the risk zone for the driver’s airbag is the first 2 - 3 in. (50 - 75 mm)
of inflation, placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag pro-
vides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from
the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you sit less than 10
in. (250 mm) away now, you can change your driving position in several
ways:

• Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the ped-

als comfortably.

• Slightly recline the back of the seat. 

Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in. (250
mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply by
reclining the back of the seat somewhat. If reclining the back of your
seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-
slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.

• If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air-

bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.

The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while
still maintaining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view
of the instrument panel controls.

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WARNING

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SRS airbag precautions

l

The SRS front passenger airbag also deploys with considerable force, and
can cause death or serious injury especially if the front passenger is very
close to the airbag. The front passenger seat should be as far from the air-
bag as possible with the seatback adjusted, so the front passenger sits
upright.

l

Improperly seated and/or restrained infants and children can be killed or
seriously injured by a deploying airbag. An infant or child who is too small
to use a seat belt should be properly secured using a child restraint sys-
tem. Scion strongly recommends that all infants and children be placed in
the rear seats of the vehicle and properly restrained. The rear seats are
safer for infants and children than the front passenger seat. (

P. 52)

l

If the seat belt extender has been con-
nected to the front seat belt buckles but
the seat belt extender has not also been
fastened to the latch plate of the seat
belt, the SRS front airbags will judge
that the driver and front passenger are
wearing the seat belt even though the
seat belt has not been connected. In
this case, the SRS front airbags may
not activate correctly in a collision,
resulting in death or serious injury in the
event of a collision. Be sure to wear the
seat belt with the seat belt extender.

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WARNING

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SRS airbag precautions

l

Do not sit on the edge of the seat or
lean against the dashboard.

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Do not allow a child to stand in front of
the SRS front passenger airbag unit or
sit on the knees of a front passenger.

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Do not allow the front seat occupants to
hold items on their knees.

l

Do not lean against the door, the roof
side rail or the front, side and rear pil-
lars.

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Do not allow anyone to kneel on the
passenger seats toward the door or put
their head or hands outside the vehicle.

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WARNING

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SRS airbag precautions

l

Do not attach anything to or lean any-
thing against areas such as the dash-
board, steering wheel pad and lower
portion of the instrument panel. 
These items can become projectiles
when the SRS driver, front passenger
and driver’s knee airbag deploy.

l

Do not attach anything to areas such as
the door, windshield, side window, front
or rear pillar, roof side rail and assist
grip.

l

Do not attach any heavy, sharp or hard
objects such as keys and accessories
to the key. The objects may restrict the
SRS driver’s knee airbag inflation or be
thrust into the driver's seat area by the
force of the deploying airbag, thus caus-
ing a danger.

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WARNING

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SRS airbag precautions

l

If a vinyl cover is put on the area where the SRS driver’s knee airbag will
deploy, be sure to remove it.

l

Do not use seat accessories which cover the parts where the SRS side
airbags and SRS seat cushion airbag inflate as they may interfere with
inflation of the SRS airbags. Such accessories may prevent the side air-
bags and seat cushion airbag from activating correctly, disable the system
or cause the side airbags and seat cushion airbag to inflate accidentally,
resulting in death or serious injury.

l

Do not strike or apply significant levels of force to the area of the SRS air-
bag components. 
Doing so can cause the SRS airbags to malfunction.

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Do not touch any of the component parts immediately after the SRS air-
bags have deployed (inflated) as they may be hot.

l

If breathing becomes difficult after the SRS airbags have deployed, open a
door or window to allow fresh air in, or leave the vehicle if it is safe to do
so. Wash off any residue as soon as possible to prevent skin irritation. 

l

If the areas where the SRS airbags are stored, such as the steering wheel
pad and front and rear pillars garnishes, are damaged or cracked, have
them replaced by your Scion dealer.

l

Do not place anything, such as a cushion, on the front passenger's seat.
Doing so will disperse the passenger's weight, which prevents the sensor
from detecting the passenger's weight properly. As a result, the SRS front
airbags for the front passenger may not deploy in the event of a collision.

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Modification and disposal of SRS airbag system components
Do not dispose of your vehicle or perform any of the following modifications
without consulting your Scion dealer. The SRS airbags may malfunction or
deploy (inflate) accidentally, causing death or serious injury.

l

Installation, removal, disassembly and repair of the SRS airbags

l

Repairs, modifications, removal or replacement of the steering wheel,
instrument panel, dashboard, seats or seat upholstery, front, side and rear
pillars or roof side rails

l

Repairs or modifications of the front fender, front bumper, or side of the
occupant compartment

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Installation of a grille guard (bull bars, kangaroo bar, etc.), snow plows,
winches or roof luggage carrier

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Modifications to the vehicle’s suspension system

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Installation of electronic devices such as mobile two-way radios and CD
players

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Modifications to your vehicle for a person with a physical disability

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If the SRS airbags deploy (inflate)

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Slight abrasions, burns, bruising etc., may be sustained from SRS airbags,
due to the extremely high speed deployment (inflation) by hot gases.

l

A loud noise and white powder will be emitted.

l

Parts of the airbag module (steering wheel hub, airbag cover and inflator) as
well as the front seats, parts of the front and rear pillars, and roof side rails,
may be hot for several minutes. The airbag itself may also be hot.

l

The windshield may crack.

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SRS airbag deployment conditions (SRS front airbags)

l

The SRS front airbags will deploy in the event of an impact that exceeds the
set threshold level (the level of force corresponding to an approximately 12 -
18 mph [20 - 30 km/h] frontal collision with a fixed wall that does not move or
deform).

However, this threshold velocity will be considerably higher in the following
situations:

• If the vehicle strikes an object, such as a parked vehicle or sign pole,

which can move or deform on impact

• If the vehicle is involved in an underride collision, such as a collision in

which the front of the vehicle “underrides”, or goes under, the bed of a
truck

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Depending on the type of collision, it is possible that only the seat belt pre-
tensioners will activate.

l

The SRS front airbags for the front passenger will not activate if there is no
passenger sitting in the front passenger seat. However, the SRS front air-
bags for the front passenger may deploy if luggage is put in the seat, even if
the seat is unoccupied.

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The SRS seat cushion airbag on the front seats will not operate if the occu-
pant is not wearing a seat belt.

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SRS airbag deployment conditions (SRS side and curtain shield airbags)

l

The SRS side and curtain shield airbags will deploy in the event of an
impact that exceeds the set threshold level (the level of force corresponding
to the impact force produced by an approximately 3300 lb. [1500 kg] vehicle
colliding with the vehicle cabin from a direction perpendicular to the vehicle
orientation at an approximate speed of 12 - 18 mph [20 - 30 km/h]).

l

The SRS curtain shield airbags will deploy in the event of vehicle rollover.

l

The SRS side and curtain shield airbags will deploy in the event of a frontal
collision.

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Conditions under which the SRS airbags may deploy (inflate), other than
a collision 
The SRS front airbags and SRS side and curtain shield airbags may also
deploy if a serious impact occurs to the underside of your vehicle. Some
examples are shown in the illustration.

The SRS curtain shield airbags may also deploy under the situations shown
in the illustration.

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Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags (SRS front air-
bags)
The SRS front airbags do not generally inflate if the vehicle is involved in a
side or rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in a low-speed frontal
collision. But, whenever a collision of any type causes sufficient forward
deceleration of the vehicle, deployment of the SRS front airbags may occur.

l

Hitting a curb, edge of pavement or hard
surface

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Falling into or jumping over a deep hole

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Landing hard or falling

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The angle of vehicle tip-up is marginal

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The vehicle skids and hits a curb stone

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Collision from the side

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Collision from the rear

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Vehicle rollover

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Types of collisions that may not deploy the SRS airbags (SRS side and
curtain shield airbags)
The SRS side and curtain shield airbags may not activate if the vehicle is
subjected to a collision from the side at certain angles, or a collision to the
side of the vehicle body other than the passenger compartment.

The SRS side airbags do not generally inflate if the vehicle is involved in a
rear collision, if it rolls over, or if it is involved in a low-speed side or low-
speed frontal collision.

The SRS curtain shield airbags do not generally inflate if the vehicle is
involved in a rear collision, if it pitches end over end, or if it is involved in a
low-speed side or low-speed frontal collision.

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Collision from the side to the vehicle
body other than the passenger compart-
ment

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Collision from the side at an angle

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Collision from the rear

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Vehicle rollover

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Collision from the rear

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Pitching end over end

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When to contact your Scion dealer
In the following cases, the vehicle will require inspection and/or repair. Con-
tact your Scion dealer as soon as possible. 

l

Any of the SRS airbags have been inflated.

l

The front of the vehicle is damaged or
deformed, or was involved in an acci-
dent that was not severe enough to
cause the SRS front airbags to inflate.

l

A portion of a door or its surrounding
area is damaged or deformed, or the
vehicle was involved in an accident that
was not severe enough to cause the
SRS side and curtain shield airbags to
inflate.

l

The pad section of the steering wheel,
dashboard near the front passenger air-
bag or lower portion of the instrument
panel is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.

l

The seat cushion surface is scratched,
cracked, or otherwise damaged.

l

The surface of the seats with the side
airbag is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.

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The portion of the front pillars, rear pil-
lars or roof side rail garnishes (padding)
containing the curtain shield airbags
inside is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.

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Front passenger occupant classification 

system

Your vehicle is equipped with a front passenger occupant classi-
fication system. This system detects the conditions of the front
passenger seat and activates or deactivates the devices for the
front passenger.

SRS warning light

Seat belt reminder light

“AIR BAG OFF” indicator light

“AIR BAG ON” indicator light

1
2
3
4

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Adult

*

1

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Child

*

4

Condition and operation in the front passenger occupant classi-
fication system

Indicator/

warning light

“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” 

indicator lights

“AIR BAG ON”

SRS warning light

Off

Seat belt reminder light

Off

*

2

 or 

flashing

*

3

Devices

Front passenger airbag

Activated

Side airbag 

on the front passenger seat

Curtain shield airbag 

in the front passenger side

Seat cushion airbag 

in the front passenger side

Activated

*

2

 or 

deactivated

*

3

Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner

Activated

Indicator/

warning light

“AIR BAG ON” and “AIR BAG OFF” 

indicator lights

“AIR BAG OFF” 

or “AIR BAG 

ON”

*

4

SRS warning light

Off

Seat belt reminder light

Off

*

2

 or 

flashing

*

3

Devices

Front passenger airbag

Deactivated or 

activated

*

4

Side airbag 

on the front passenger seat

Activated

Curtain shield airbag 

in the front passenger side

Seat cushion airbag 

in the front passenger side

Deactivated or 

activated

*

4, 2

Front passenger’s seat belt pretensioner

Activated