2000 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

2-18HG0042
Seat belt guideSeat belt guideWear front seat belt with seat belt guidefully raised up.
Starting position
Fully raised up position
OM-H0426
Unfastening the seatbelt 3-point type seatbelt (Combination lap/shoulder belts)
HS0138
HB0303
Front
Rear
Push Push
Push the b utton on the b uc kle.
Before c losing the d oor, make sure that the b elts a re retrac ted p rop er-
ly to avoid c atc hing the b elt web b ing in the d oor.

Seat, seat belt and SRS airbag2-19
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2-point type seatbelt (lap only belts)
OM-H0050
Push
Push the release b utton on the b uc kle. NOTE
When the seatbelt is not in use, store the seatbelt in the seatbelt pocket to prevent it from being damaged.
Buckle
(center seatbelt)Tongue (center seatbelt)
Saet belt pocket
OM-H0041
Seatbelt maintenance
CAUTION
Keep the belts free of polishes, oils, chemicals and particularly
battery acid. Never attempt to make modifications or changes that will pre-
vent the seatbelt from operating properly.

2-20To c lean the seatb elts, use a mild soap and lukewar
m water. Never
b leac h or d ye the b elts b ec ause this c ould seriousl y affec t their streng th.
Insp ec t the seatb elts and attac hments inc lud ing the web b ing and all
hard ware p eriod ic ally for c rac ks, c uts, g ashes, tea rs, d amag e, loose
b olts or worn areas. Rep lac e the seatb elts even if only minor d amag e is
found .
Child restraint systems
WARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap while the
vehicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from injury in a collision, because the child will be caught between the
passenger and objects inside the vehicle. Additionally, holding achild in your lap or arms in the front seat exposes that child to
another serious danger. Since the SRS airbag deploys with con-
siderable speed and force, the child could be injured or evenkilled. Put children aged 12 and under in the rear seat properly re-
strained at all times. The SRS airbag deploys with considerablespeed and force and can injure or even kill children, especially ifthey are 12 years of age and under and are not restrained or im-properly restrained. Because children are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk of being injured from deployment is greater. Forthat reason, be sure to secure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing child seats) in the REAR seats
at all times. You should choose a restraint device which isappropriate for the child ’s age, height and weight. According to
accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained inthe rear seating positions than in the front seating positions. SINCE YOUR VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A PASSENGER ’S
SRS AIRBAG, DO NOT INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD
SEAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER ’S SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SE-
RIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD’ S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG.

Seat, seat belt and SRS airbag2-21
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Children should be properly restrained in the rear seat at all
times. Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front
passenger’ s seat. The SRS airbag deploys with considerable
force and can injure or even kill the child.
HS0042 OM-H0051
Never install rearward facing child seat in the front passenger
’s seat.
HS0228
Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front passenger ’s seat
or any other seat.
Secure child restraint devices in the REAR seats at all times.
HS0229
Never hold a child on your lap or in your arms in the front passenger ’s
seat or any other seat.
WARNING
Child restraint systems and seat belts can become hot in a ve-
hicle that has been closed up in sunny weather; they could burn a small child. Check the child restraint system before you place achild in it. Do not leave an unsecured child restraint system in your vehi-
cle. Unsecured child restraint systems can be thrown around in-
side of the vehicle in a sudden stop, turn or accident; it can strikeand injure vehicle occupants as well as result in serious injuriesor death to the child.

2-22Infants and small c hild ren should always b e p lac ed
in an infant or c hild
restraint system in the rear seat while rid ing in t he vehic le. You should
use an infant or c hild restraint system that meets Fed eral Motor Vehic le
Safety Stand ard s or Canad a Motor Vehic le Safety Sta nd ard s, is c omp at-
ib le with your vehic le and is ap p rop riate for the c hild’s ag e and size. All
c hild restraint systems are d esig ned to b e sec ured in the vehic le seats
b y lap b elts or the lap p ortion of a lap /should er b elt.
Child ren c ould b e end ang ered in an ac c id ent if thei r c hild restraints are
not p rop erly sec ured in the vehic le. When installin g the c hild restraint
system, c arefully follow the manufac turer ’s instruc tions.
Ac c ord ing to ac c id ent statistic s, c hild ren are safe r when p rop erly re-
strained in the rear seating p ositions than in the front seating p ositions.
These statistic s also ind ic ate that the safest p osi tion for a c hild restraint
system is the c enter of the rear seat.
All U.S. states and Canad ian p rovinc es req uire that infants and small
c hild ren b e restrained in an ap p roved c hild restrai nt system at all times
while the vehic le is moving .
Installing child restraint systems in the 2-point type seat belt position (Rear center seating position)
HS2002BA
1. Set the c hild restraint system in the c enter seat ing p osition.
2. Run the 2-p oint typ e seat b elt throug h or around the c hild restraint
system following the instruc tions p rovid ed b y its m anufac turer.
3. Insert the tong ue p late into the b uc kle.

Seat, seat belt and SRS airbag2-23
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4. Tig hten the seat b elt.
5. Before having a c hild sit in the c hild restraint
system, move it b ac k
and forth to c hec k if it is firmly sec ured . Sometim es a c hild restraint
c an b e more firmly src ured b y p ushing it d own into the seat c ushion
and then tig htening the seatb elt.
If the c hild restraint system req uires a top strap , latc h the hook onto
the top strap anc hor and tig hten the top strap . Installing child restraint systems in the 3-point type seat belt position
NOTE When the child restraint system is no longer in use, remove it and
restore the ELR function of the retractor. That function is restored
by allowing the seat belt to retract fully.
HB1080BA
1. Set the c hild restraint system in the seating p os ition.
2. Run the lap and should er b elts throug h or around the c hild re-
straint system following the instruc tions p rovid ed b y its manufac turer.
If the should er b elt g oes in front of the c hild ’s fac e or nec k, p ut it b e-
hind the c hild restraint system.
3. Insert the tong ue p late into the b uc kle.
4. Take up the slac k in the lap b elt.
5. Pull out the seat b elt fully from the retrac tor t o c hang e the retrac tor
over from the Emerg enc y Loc king Retrac tor(ELR) to t he Automatic
Loc king Retrac tor (ALR) func tion. Then, allow the b elt to rewind into

2-24the retrac tor. As the b elt is rewind ing , c lic ks wil
l b e heard whic h ind i-
c ate the retrac tor func tions as ALR.
6. Before having a c hild sit in the c hild restraint system, move it b ac k
and forth to c hec k if it is firmly sec ured . Sometim es a c hild restraint
c an b e more firmly sec ured b y p ushing it d own into the seat c ushion
and then tig htening the seat b elt.
7. Pull at the should er p ortion of the b elt to c onfi rm that it c annot b e
p ulled out (ALR p rop erly func tioning ).
If the c hild restraint system req uires a top strap , latc h the hook onto the
top strap anc hor and tig hten the top strap .
HG0188
Top strap anchors Anchorage location
HG2005BB
HG2004BB

Seat, seat belt and SRS airbag2-25
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Three anc hor b rac kets, i.e., ones for the rig ht, c e
nter and left p osi-
tions, are alread y installed on the rear p arc el she lf (on c oup e and se-
d an) or on the b ac k wall of the c arg o area (on stat ion wag on and
OUTBACK SPORT). To hook the top strap
OM-H0396
Coupe and sedan
HG2003BBOM-H0450
Wagon and OUTBACK SPORT Center anchorageLeft and right anchorage
Fasten the top strap hook of the c hild restraint to the ap p rop riate an-
c hor b rac ket.
Tig hten the top strap sec urely.