2000 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

2-2
Front seats
WARNING
Never adjust the seat while driving to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of personal injury. Never drive the vehicle with the head restraints removed be-
cause they are designed to reduce the risk of serious neck injury
in the event that the vehicle is struck from the rear. Before adjusting the seat, make sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers are clear of the adjusting mechanism. Seat belts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. To reduce the risk of sliding un-der the seat belt in a collision, the front seatbacks should be al-ways used in the upright position while the vehicle is running. Ifthe front seatbacks are not used in the upright position in a colli-
sion, the risk of sliding under the lap belt and of the lap belt slid-ing up over the abdomen will increase, and both can result in se-rious internal injury or death. Do not put cushions or any other materials between occupants
and seatbacks or seat cushions. If you do so, the risk of sliding
under the lap belt and of the lap belt sliding up over the abdomen
will increase, and both can result in serious internal injury or death. The SRS airbags deploy with considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious injuries. Because the SRS air-bag needs enough space for deployment, the driver should al-ways sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steeringwheel as practical while still maintaining full vehicle control and
the front passenger should move the seat as far back as possibleand sit upright and well back in the seat. Put children aged 12 and under in the rear seat properly re-
strained at all times. The SRS airbag deploys with considerable
speed and force and can injure or even kill children, especially if
they are 12 years of age and under and are not restrained or im-
properly restrained. Because children are lighter and weaker than

Seat, seat belt and SRS airbag2-3
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adults, their risk of being injured from deployment is greater. For
that reason, we strongly recommend that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those that have outgrown child restraint
devices) sit in the REAR seat properly restrained at all times in a
child restraint device or in a seat belt, whichever is appropriate for
the child
’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forward fac-
ing child seat) in the REAR seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE
SRS AIRBAG.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating
positions. For instructions and precautions concerning child re-
straint systems, see the “Child restraint systems ” section in this
chapter.
HS0234
HS0233
Adjust the seatback to upright position. Sit well back and upright.
Move the seat as far from the steering wheel as practical. Adjust the seatback toupright position. Sit well back and upright.Move the seat as far back as possible.

2-4
HS0247
HG0356
Put children in the rear seat properly restrained at all times. Do not recline the seatback whilevehicle is moving.

Fore and aft adjustment
OM-H0032
OM-H0031
Pull the lever up ward and slid e the seat to the d es ired p osition. Then
release the lever and move the seat b ac k and forth to make sure that
it is sec urely loc ked into p lac e. Reclining the seatback
Pull the rec lining lever up and ad just the seatb ac k to the d esired p osi-
tion. Then release the lever and make sure the seat b ac k is sec urely
loc ked into p lac e.

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Head restraint adjustment
HS0031
To raise the head restraint, p ull it up . To lower i t, p ush the head re-
straint d own while d ep ressing the release b utton on the top of the
seatb ac k.
OM-H2735
The b est p osition for the head restraint is just ab ove or level with the
top of the ears.

2-6

Rear seat access (Coupe)
CAUTION
Never operate the reclining pedal with your fingers or with
bare feet. Doing so could result in injury to your fingers or toes. Never allow children to operate the reclining pedal or lever.
Their fingers or feet could be caught in the reclining mechanism,
which may result in injury.
For ac c ess to the rear seat, p ull up the rec lining lever at the rig ht sid e of
the p asseng er ’s seat c ushion. The seat b ac k will rec line forward fully, al-
lowing you to ac c ess to the rear seat.
For eg ress from the rear seat, d ep ress the rec linin g p ed al at the b ac k of
the p asseng er ’s seat c ushion. The seat b ac k will rec line forward fully, al-
lowing you room to exit.
Raise the seat b ac k until it loc ks after ac c ess to or eg ress from the rear
seat and make sure that the seat b ac k is loc ked in p osition b y moving
the top of it fore and aft.
OM-H0425
Reclining pedalReclining lever

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Rear seats
WARNING
Seat belts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. Do not put cushions or any other
materials between occupants and seatbacks or seat cushions. If
you do so, the risk of sliding under the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen will increase, and both can result in
serious internal injury or death. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded rear seatback, in
the cargo area. Doing so may result in serious injury or death. Never stack luggage or other cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble forward and injure passengersin the event of a sudden stop or accident. Secure skis and other lengthy items properly to prevent them
from shooting forward and causing serious injury during a sud-den stop, a sudden steering or a rapid acceleration.
HG0339
Sit well back and upright.

2-8

Fold down rear seat — Wagon and OUTBACK SPORT
WARNING
After returning the rear seat to its original position, be certain
to place all of the seat belts and the tab attached to the seat cush- ion above the seat cushion. And make certain that the shoulderbelts are fully visible. Never permit anyone to ride in the cargo area.
Folding down the seatback
HG0276
OM-H0037
Unloc k the seatb ac k b y p ulling the release knob and then fold the
seatb ac k d own. Folding down the seat cushion and seatback
1. Move the front seat forward .
2. Store the seat b elts in the seat b elt p oc ket to p revent them falling
b elow the c ushion.

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OM-H0041
Buckle
(center seatbelt)Tongue (center seatbelt)
3. Raise the seat c ushion b y p ulling up the tab .
OM-H0040
4. Unloc k the seatb ac k b y p ulling the release knob a nd fold the seat-
b ac k d own. Confirm that the p in loc ated at the b ott om of the seat
c ushion is inserted into the slot at the top of the seatb ac k.