2000 SUBARU OUTBACK child restraint

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-41
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CAUTION
Be careful not to damage the belt webbing or hardware. Take care that they do not get caught or pinched in the seatback.
The lap -should er b elts of the b uilt-in c hild restra int are eq uip p ed with an
automatic loc king retrac tor (ALR) that automatic all y loc ks when b oth
tong ue p lates are latc hed into the b elt b uc kle and the b elts retrac t.
Placing a child in the built-in child restraint
1. Before using the b uilt-in c hild restraint, make s ure the vehic le’s rear
seatb ac k is loc ked sec urely in p lac e.
HBS048BB
2. Lower the c hild restraint c ushion.
3. Read the information and warning s on the c hild re straint c ushion.
Chec k the c hild ’s size and weig ht to b e sure the c hild is not too s mall
or too larg e for the c hild restraint.

1-42
HBS049BA
4. If the left and rig ht halves of the c hest c lip are fastened tog ether,
sep arate them b y sq ueezing the release tab s.
HBS051BB
HBS050BA
5. Pull d own the seatb ac k p art of the removab le p ad . Make sure the
c hild ’s should ers are at or b elow the maximum should er he ig ht ind i-
c ated on the lab el attac hed to the seatb ac k.
The c hild restraint p ad is attac hed b y hook and loo p fasteners
(Velc ro ).
WARNING
If the child ’s shoulders are above the maximum shoulder height
indicated on the label, do not use the built-in child restraint. If
used, the built-in restraint cannot restrain the child properly,which may result in serious injury to the child in an accident. The

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-43
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child should use eigher the vehicle
’s seatbelts or an approved af-
termarket booster seat, if necessary.
HBS051CBHBS050CB
6. Press the removab le p ad ag ainst the hook and loop fasteners
(Velc ro ) and install the p ad to the seatb ac k. Make sure th e b elts g o
throug h the slots in the p ad .
WARNING
If you remove the removable pad for cleaning or other purposes,
do not use the built-in child restraint. If an accident occurs, the
absence of the pad can increase the risk or severity of injury tothe child.
HBS053BB
HBS052BA
7. Sit the c hild on the c hild restraint.

1-448. Pull out one sid e of the lap -should er b elt and p l
ac e it over the
c hild ’s should er. Insert the tong ue p late into the b uc kle until it c lic ks.
If b oth sid es of the b elt are p ulled out, the b elts will loc k. If the b elts
loc k, allow them to fully retrac t to unloc k the ret rac tor. Then p ull out
only one sid e of the b elt.
9. Pull out the other sid e of lap -should er b elt and p lac e it over the
c hild ’s should er in a sing le motion. Insert the tong ue p l ate into the
b uc kle until it c lic ks. Onc e the b elt retrac ts even slig htly, the ALR will
b e ac tivated and b oth b elts will loc k.
If the b elt stop s b efore the tong ue reac hes the b uc kle, allow b oth
b elts to fully retrac t to unloc k the retrac tor and then sep arately p ull out
the b elts and b uc kle them ag ain.
10. Allow b oth b elts to tig hten snug ly ag ainst the c hild’s should ers.
Bec ause of the ALR func tion, the b elts c annot b e p u lled out simulta-
neously from the retrac tor.
The c olor g reen must ap p ear in the ind ic ator wind ow on eac h tong ue
when b uc kled . If the c olor red ap p ears in the wind o w, the tong ue is
not b uc kled .
WARNING
After inserting the tongue plates, make sure the tongue plates and buckle are locked and that the lap-shoulder belts and crotch
belt are not twisted. If the restraint is used with the tongues and
buckle not locked and/or with the belts twisted, the risk or severi-ty of injury to the child could increase in an accident.
CAUTION
If the child restraint belts do not function normally, contact your
authorized SUBARU dealer immediately.

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HBS056BA
15. Move the c hest c lip to the mid d le of the c hild’s c hest so that the
p osition of the should er p ortion of eac h b elt is c e ntered on the c hild’s
should er. The b elts should b e away from the c hild ’s fac e and nec k,
b ut not falling off the c hild ’s should ers.
Removing the child from the built-in child restraint
HBS058BB
HBS057BA
1. Disc onnec t the c hest c lip b y sq ueezing the releas e tab s tog ether
and p ulling the two sid es ap art.
2. Press the release b utton on the b uc kle.
3. Move b oth b elts off the c hild ’s should ers.
Bec ause the ALR is ac tivated , hold either the left or rig ht should er b elt
out fully while help ing slid e the c hild ’s arms out of the b elts.
4. Allow the b elts to fully retrac t.

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Storing the built-in child restraint
Always p rop erly store the b uilt-in c hild restraint b efore using the reg u-
lar lap -should er b elt for the rear-c enter seating p osition.
HBS060BA
HBS066BA
1. Fasten the c hest c lip .
2. Stow the b elt b uc kle into the rec ess of the c hild restraint c ushion.
3. Fold the c hild restraint c ushion up into the seat b ac k.
Replacing restraint system parts after a collision
WARNING
Replace the built-in child restraint equipped vehicle seatback as-
sembly if the child restraint was in use during a serious collision.
The built-in restraint may be severely weakened. In a subsequent
accident, it might not be able to provide adequate protection. Theentire assembly should be replaced even if damage is not ob-vious.
Maintenance CAUTION
Keep the belts free of polishes, oils, chemicals and particularly
battery acid as they may weaken the belts. Never attempt to make modifications or changes that will pre-
vent the built-in child restraint from operating properly.

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For instructions and precautions concerning the seatbelt system, see the
“Seatbelts” sections in this chapter.
Do not sit or lean unnecessarily close to the SRS airbag. Be-
cause the SRS airbag deploys with considerable speed – faster
than the blink of an eye – and force to protect in high speed colli-
sions, the force of an airbag can injure an occupant whose bodyis too close to SRS airbag. It is also important to wear your seatbelt to help avoid injuriesthat can result when the SRS airbag contacts an occupant not inproper position such as one thrown forward during pre-accidentbraking.Even when properly positioned, there remains a possibility thatan occupant may suffer minor injury such as abrasions andbruises to the face or arms because of the SRS airbag deploy-ment force. 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. Do not place any objects over or near the SRS airbag cover or
between you and the SRS airbag. If the SRS airbag deploys,those objects could interfere with its proper operation and could
be propelled inside the car and cause injury. 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, we strongly recommend that ALL children (in-cluding those in child seats and those that have outgrown child
restraint devices) sit in the REAR seat properly restrained at all

1-50times in a child restraint device or in a seatbelt, whichever is ap- propriate for the child
’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forwardfacing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times.According to accident statistics, children are safer when properlyrestrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seatingpositions.For instructions and precautions concerning the child restraint
system, see the “Child restraint systems ” section in this chapter.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TOTHE CHILD BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG. Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front pas-
senger’ s seat, or never hold a child on your lap or in your arms.
The SRS airbag deploys with considerable force and can injure oreven kill the child.
HB0291
Put children in the REAR seat prop- erly restrained at all times.