2002 SUBARU IMPREZA warning

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When securing a child restraint system on the rear seats by the use of the seatbelt, the seatbelt mustbe changed over to the Automatic Locking Retractor(ALR) mode.
When the child restraint system is removed, make
sure that the seatbelt retracts fully and the retractor
returned to the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mode.
For instructions on how to convert the retractor to
the ALR mode and restore it to the ELR mode, seethe “Child restraint systems ” section in this chapter.
Seatbelt warning light and chime
Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt warningdevice at the driver ’s seat, as required by current
safety standards.
This device causes the seatbelt warning light on the
instrument panel to light up for about six seconds
when the ignition switch is turned to “ON” to remind
the driver to wear the seatbelt. If the driver ’s seatbelt
is not fastened, a warning chime sounds at thesame time.
Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
Never use a belt that is twisted or reversed.
In an accident, this can increase the risk or
severity of injury. Keep the lap belt as low as possible on your
hips. In a collision, this spreads the force of the lap belt over stronger hip bones instead ofacross the weaker abdomen. Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when
the occupant sits well back and upright in the
seat. To reduce the risk of sliding under the
seatbelt in a collision, the front seatbacksshould be always used in the upright position
while the vehicle is running. If the front seat-
backs are not used in the upright position in a
collision, the risk of sliding under the lap belt
and of the lap belt sliding up over the abdo- men will increase, and both can result in seri-ous 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

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make sure the
shoulder portion of the webbing does notpass over your neck. If it does, adjust the
seatbelt anchor to a lower position. Placing the shoulder belt over the neck may result in
neck injury during sudden braking or in a col-lision.
n Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
HB0303
Before closing the door, make sure that the belts are
retracted properly to avoid catching the belt web- bing in the door.
Rear seatbelts (except rear center seatbelt on
Wagon)
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the belt out
slowly. Do not let it get twisted. If the belt stops be-
fore reaching the buckle, return the belt slightly and
pull it out more slowly. If the belt still cannot be
unlocked, let the belt retract slightly after giving a
strong pull on it, then pull it out slowly again.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle until youhear a click.
OM-H0043
4. 1) To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt.

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2) Place the lap belt as low as possible on your hips, not on your waist.
OM-H0044
nAdjusting the rear seat shoulder belt anchor height (window-side seating positions only)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be adjusted
to the position best suited for you. To adjust the an-
chor height, push the release button and slide the
anchor up or down. Pull down on the anchor to
make sure that it is locked in place.
HS1020BA
Always adjust the anchor height so that the shoulder belt passes over the middle of the shoulder without
touching the neck.
WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make sure the
shoulder portion of the webbing does notpass over your neck. If it does, adjust the
seatbelt anchor to a lower position. Placingthe shoulder belt over the neck may result in
neck injury during sudden braking or in a col- lision.

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nUnfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
HB0303
Before closing the door, make sure that the belts are
retracted properly to avoid catching the belt web-
bing in the door.
Rear center seatbelt on Wagon
WARNING
Fastening the seatbelt with the webbing twisted can increase the risk or severity ofinjury in an accident. When fastening the belt
after it is pulled out from the retractor, espe-
cially when inserting the connector ’s tongue plate into the mating buckle (on right-handside), always check that the webbing is nottwisted.
HB1030BA
WARNING
Be sure to fasten both tongue plates to the
respective buckles. If the seatbelt is used onlyas a shoulder belt (with the connector
’s
tongue plate not fastened to the connector ’s
buckle on the right-hand side), it cannot prop-erly restrain the wearer in position in an acci- dent, possibly resulting in serious injury or death.

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SUBARU dealer as soon as possible. When you sell your vehicle, we urge you to
explain to the buyer that it has seatbelt preten-sioners by alerting him to the contents of thissection.
WARNING
To obtain maximum protection, the occu-
pants should sit in an upright position with their seatbelts properly fastened. Refer to the
“Seatbelts” section in this chapter.
Do not modify, remove or strike the front
seatbelt retractor assemblies or surrounding
area. This could result in accidental activationof the seatbelt pretensioners or could makethe system inoperative, possibly resulting in
serious injury. Seatbelt pretensioners have no
user-serviceable parts. For required servicingof front seatbelt retractors equipped with seat-
belt pretensioners, see your nearest SUBARU
dealer. When discarding front seatbelt retractor
assemblies or scrapping the entire car due to
collision damage or for other reasons, consult
your SUBARU dealer.
System monitors
HG1016BA
A diagnostic system continually monitors the readi-
ness of the seatbelt pretensioner while the vehicle is
being driven. The seatbelt pretensioners share the
control module with the SRS airbag system. There-
fore, if any malfunction occurs in a seatbelt preten-
sioner, the SRS airbag system warning light will illu-
minate. The SRS airbag system warning light will
show normal system operation by lighting for about
6 seconds when the ignition key is turned to the
“ON” position.
The following components are monitored by the indi- cator: Front sub sensor (Right hand side)

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Front sub sensor (Left hand side)
Airbag control module (including impact sensors)
Seatbelt pretensioner (driver ’s side)
Seatbelt pretensioner (Passenger ’s side)
All related wiring
In the event of a malfunction indicated by any of fol-
lowing, the vehicle should be taken promptly to your
nearest SUBARU dealer to have the system
checked. Unless checked and repaired, the seatbelt
pretensioners and SRS airbag will not function reli-ably: Flashing or flickering of the indicator light.
No illumination of the warning light when the igni-
tion switch is first turned to the “ON” position.
Continuous illumination of the warning light.
Illumination of the warning light while driving.
System servicing
WARNING
When discarding a seatbelt retractor assem-
bly or scrapping the entire car damaged by a
collision, consult your SUBARU dealer. Tampering with or disconnecting the sys-
tem’ s wiring could result in accidental activa-
tion of the seatbelt pretensioner and/or SRS airbag or could make the system inoperative,
which may result in serious injury. The wiring
harnesses of the seatbelt pretensioner and
SRS airbag systems are covered with yellowinsulation and the connectors of the systemare yellow for easy identification. Do not use
electrical test equipment on any circuit related to the seatbelt pretensioner and SRS airbag
systems. For required servicing of the seat-
belt pretensioner, see your nearest SUBARU
dealer.
CAUTION
The front sub sensors are located in both front fenders and the SRS airbag control mod-
ule including the impact sensors is located
under the center console. If you need service or repair in those areas or near the front seat- belt retractors, we recommend that you have
an authorized SUBARU dealer perform thework.
NOTE If the front part of the vehicle is damaged in an
accident to the extent that the seatbelt preten-

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All U.S. states and Canadian provinces require that
infants and small children be restrained in an
approved child restraint system at all times while the
vehicle is moving.WARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child on his or her lap or in his or her arms while the vehicleis moving. The passenger cannot protect thechild from injury in a collision, because the
child will be caught between the passenger and objects inside the vehicle.
Additionally, holding a child in your lap orarms in the front seat exposes that child to
another serious danger. Since the SRS airbag
deploys with considerable speed and force, the child could be injured or even killed.
HG1013BA

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WARNING
Children should be properly restrained at all times. Never allow a child to stand up, or tokneel on any seat. Unrestrained children willbe thrown forward during sudden stop or in
an accident and can be injured seriously.
Additionally, children standing up or kneelingon or in front of the front seat are exposed
another serious danger. Since the SRS airbag
deploys with considerable speed and force,the child could be injured or even killed.
HG1014BA
WARNING
Put children aged 12 and under in the rear seat properly restrained at all times. The SRSairbag deploys with considerable speed andforce and can injure or even kill children, es-
pecially if they are 12 years of age and under and are not restrained or improperly re-strained. 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 devicewhich is appropriate for the child ’s age, height
and weight. According to accident statistics,children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions.