2001 SUBARU FORESTER Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-5
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Reclining the seatback
HS0029
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.
The seatb ac k p lac ed in a rec lined p osition c an sp ri ng b ac k up ward
with forc e when released . When op erating the rec lin ing lever to return
the seatb ac k, hold it lig htly so that it may b e rai sed b ac k g rad ually.
Seat cushion angle and height adjustment (driver ’s seat)
HS0030
For front edge
For rear edge
LowerRaise
Raise
Lower
Turn either d ial to ad just the ang le and heig ht of the seat c ushion to
the d esired p osition.

1-6
Head restraint adjustment
HS0031 OM-H2735
To raise the head restraint, p ull it up . To lower i t, p ush the head re-
straint d own while p ressing the release b utton on t he top of the seat-
b ac k.
The b est p osition for the head restraint is just ab ove or level with the
top of the ears.

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Seat heater (if equipped)
CAUTION
Use of the seat heater for long period of time while the engine
is not running can cause battery discharge. Do not put anything on the seat which insulates against heat,
such as a blanket, cushion, or similar items. This may cause theseat heater to overheat. When cleaning the seat, do not use benzine, paint thinner, or
any similar materials.
The seat heater op erates when the ig nition switc h i s either in the “ACC ”
or “ON ” p osition.
HS0034HS0285
Indicator
HI LO
Heating element
To turn on the seat heater, p ush the
“LO ” or “HI ” p osition on the switc h,
as d esired , d ep end ing on the temp erature. LO: Normal heating
HI: Rap id heating
The ind ic ator loc ated on the switc h c omes on when t he seat heater is in
op eration. When the vehic le ’s interior is warmed enoug h or b efore you
leave the vehic le, b e sure to turn the switc h off.

1-8
Rear seats
WARNING
Never drive the vehicle with the head rest removed because
they are designed to reduce the risk of serious neck injury in the
event that the vehicle is struck from the rear. Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. Do not put cushions or anyother materials between occupants and seatbacks or seat cush-ions. If you do so, the risk of sliding under the lap belt and of thelap belt sliding up over the abdomen will increase, and both canresult in serious internal injury or death. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded rear seatback or
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.
HS0248
Sit well back and upright.

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Folding down the seatback
WARNING
Never permit anyone to ride in the cargo area.
HB1023BA
HB1022BA
Unloc k the seatb ac k b y p ulling the release knob and
then fold the
seatb ac k d own.
To return the seatb ac k to its orig inal p osition, ra ise the seatb ac k until
it loc ks into p lac e and make sure that it is sec ure ly loc ked .
Head rest adjustment
HS1013BA OM-H2735
To raise the head rest, p ull it up . To lower it, p u sh the head rest d own
while d ep ressing the release b utton on the top of t he seatb ac k.
The b est p osition for the head rest is just ab ove o r level with the top of

1-10the ears.
Seatbelts Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
All persons in the vehicle should fasten their seatbelts BE-
FORE the vehicle starts to move. Otherwise, the possibility of se-
rious injury becomes greater in the event of a sudden stop or ac-cident. All belts should fit snugly in order to provide full restraint.
Loose fitting belts are not as effective in preventing or reducing
injury. Each seatbelt is designed to support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or more persons — even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious injury or death could result. Replace all seatbelt assemblies including retractors and at-
taching hardware worn by occupants of a vehicle that has been ina serious accident. The entire assembly should be replaced evenif damage is not obvious. 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, we strongly recommend that ALL children (includingthose in child seats and those that have outgrown child restraint
devices) sit in the REAR seat properly restrained at all times in achild restraint device or in a seatbelt, whichever is appropriate forthe child ’s height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forwardfacing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-11
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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 properlyrestrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seatingpositions. For instructions and precautions concerning the childrestraint system, see the “Child restraint systems ” section in this
chapter.
Infants or small children
Use a c hild restraint system that is suitab le for y our vehic le. See in-
formation on “Child restraint systems ” in this c hap ter.
Children
If a c hild is too b ig for a c hild restraint system, the c hild should sit in
the rear seat and b e restrained using the seatb elts . Ac c ord ing to ac -
c id ent statistic s, c hild ren are safer when p rop erly restrained in the
rear seating p ositions than in the front seating p o sitions. Never allow a
c hild to stand up or kneel on the seat.
If the should er p ortion of the b elt c rosses the fac e or nec k, move the
c hild c loser to the b elt b uc kle to help p rovid e a g ood should er b elt fit.
Care must b e taken to sec urely p lac e the lap b elt a s low as p ossib le
on the hip s and not on the c hild ’s waist. If the should er p ortion of the
b elt c annot b e p rop erly p ositioned , a c hild restrai nt system should b e
used . Never p lac e the should er b elt und er the c hild ’s arm or b ehind
the c hild ’s b ac k.
Expectant mothers
Exp ec tant mothers also need to use the seatb elts. T hey should c on-
sult their d oc tor for sp ec ific rec ommend ations. The lap b elt should b e
worn sec urely and as low as p ossib le over the hip s, not over the
waist.

1-12
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
The d river ’s seatb elt has an Emerg enc y Loc king Retrac tor (ELR) .
The emerg enc y loc king retrac tor allows normal b od y movement b ut the
retrac tor loc ks automatic ally d uring a sud d en stop , imp ac t or if you p ull
the b elt very q uic kly out of the retrac tor. Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR)
Eac h p asseng er ’s seatb elt has an Automatic /Emerg enc y Loc king Re-
trac tor (A/ELR). The Automatic /Emerg enc y Loc king Re trac tor normally
func tions as an Emerg enc y Loc king Retrac tor (ELR). The A/ELR has an
ad d itional loc king mod e “Automatic Loc king Retrac tor (ALR) mod e ” in-
tend ed to sec ure a c hild restraint system. When the seatb elt is onc e
d rawn out c omp letely and is then retrac ted even sli g htly, the retrac tor
loc ks the seatb elt in that p osition and the seatb el t c annot b e extend ed .
As the b elt is rewind ing , c lic ks will b e heard whic h ind ic ate the retrac tor
func tions as ALR. When the seatb elt is retrac ted fu lly, ALR mod e is re-
leased .
When sec uring a c hild restraint system on the p asse ng ers’ seats, the
seatb elt must b e c hang ed over to the Automatic Loc k ing Retrac tor (ALR)
mod e.
When the c hild restraint system is removed , make su re that the retrac tor
op erates as an Emerg enc y Loc king Retrac tor (ELR).
For instruc tions on how to c onvert the retrac tor to the ALR mod e and re-
store it to the ELR mod e, see the “Child restraint systems ” sec tion in this
c hap ter. Seatbelt warning light and chime
Your vehic le is eq uip p ed with a seatb elt warning d e vic e at the d river’s
seat, as req uired b y c urrent safety stand ard s.
This d evic e c auses the seatb elt warning lig ht on th e instrument p anel to
lig ht up for ab out six sec ond s when the ig nition sw itc h is turned to “ON ”
to remind the d river to wear the seatb elt. If the d river’s seatb elt is not fas-
tened , a warning c hime sound s at the same time.