2000 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-29
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System servicing
WARNING
When discarding a seatbelt retractor assembly or scrapping
the entire car damaged by a collision, consult your SUBARU deal-
er. Tampering with or disconnecting the system ’s wiring could re-
sult in accidental activation of the seatbelt pretensioner and/orairbag or could make the system inoperative, which may result in
serious injury. The wiring harnesses of the seatbelt pretensionerand SRS airbag systems are covered with yellow insulation andthe connectors of the system are yellow for easy identification.Do not use electrical test equipment on any circuit related to theseatbelt pretensioner and airbag systems. For required servicing
of the seatbelt pretensioner, see your nearest SUBARU dealer.
CAUTION
The front sub sensors are located in both front fenders and theairbag control module including the impact sensors is locatedunder the center console. If you need service or repair in those
areas or near the front seatbelt retractors, we recommend thatyou have an authorized SUBARU dealer perform the work.
NOTE If the front part of the vehicle is damaged in an accident to the extent that the seatbelt pretensioner does not operate, contactyour SUBARU dealer as soon as possible. Precautions against vehicle modification CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following modifications. Such modifi- cations can interfere with proper operation of the seatbelt perten-sioners.

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Attachment of any equipment (bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than SUBARU genuine accessory parts to the front end. Modification of the suspension system or front end structure.
Installation of a tire of different size and construction from the
original tires listed on the tire placard attached to the door jamb.
Always c onsult your SUBARU d ealer if you want to in stall any ac c es-
sory p arts to your vehic le.
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.
To 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 .

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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. For that 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.
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.

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HB0306
HB0308HB0307
Never install rearward facing child seat in the front passenger
’s seat.
Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front passenger ’s
seat or any other seat
Never hold a child on your lap or inyour arms in the front passenger
’s
seat or any other seat.
OM-H2406
Secure child restraint devices in the REAR seats at all times.
WARNING
Child restraint systems and seatbelts 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.
Infants 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

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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 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
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 seatbelt 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 elt throug h or around t he c hild restraint
system following the instruc tions p rovid ed b y its m anufac turer. If the

1-34should er b elt g oes in front of the c hild
’s fac e or nec k, p ut it b ehind 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 seatb elt fully from the retrac tor to c hang e the retrac tor
over from the Emerg enc y Loc king Retrac tor (ELR) to the Automatic
Loc king Retrac tor (ALR) func tion. Then, allow the b elt to rewind into
the 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 seatb 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 .
OM-H2408HBS065BA

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Top strap anchors Anchorage location
HBS061BB
HB1077BC
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 Sed an) or on
the rear ed g e of the roof (on Staion wag on).

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To hook the top strap
n Sedan CAUTION
When the child restraint system is to be secured using the top
strap, always pass the top strap under the headrest between theheadrest stay posts. If the top strap is routed over the headrest, it
may not be properly tensioned, resulting in an unsteady child re-straint.
HBS064BB
HBS063BA
1. Remove the head rest at the seating p osition where the c hild re-
straint has b een installed with the seatb elt; lift up the head rest while
p ressing the release b utton.
2. Fasten the top strap hook of the c hild restraint to the ap p rop riate
anc hor b rac ket.