2002 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-2
Front seats
WARNING
Never adjust the seat while driving to avoid
the possibility of loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury. Before adjusting the seat, make sure the
hands and feet of rear seat passengers areclear of the adjusting mechanism. 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.
HG1002BA
WARNING
Put children aged 12 and under in the rear seat
properly restrained 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 improperly restrained. Because
children are lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from deployment is
greater. For that reason, we strongly recom-
mend 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

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-3
– CONTINUED –
or in a seatbelt, whichever is appropriate for
the child’s age, height and weight. Secure ALL
types of child restraint devices (including for-
ward facing child seat) in the REAR seats at alltimes.
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 seat-
ing positions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precautions con-
cerning child restraint systems, see the “Child
restraint systems ” section in this chapter.
Fore and aft adjustment
OM-H0031
Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to the de-
sired position. Then release the lever and move the
seat back and forth to make sure that it is securely locked into place.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-4
Reclining the seatback
OM-H0032
Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the seatback to
the desired position. Then release the lever and
make sure the seatback is securely locked into place.
The seatback placed in a reclined position can
spring back upward with force when released.
When operating the reclining lever to return the seat-back, hold it lightly so that it may be raised back
gradually.
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from sliding under the seatbelt in the event of a collision, alwaysput the seatback in the upright position whilethe vehicle is in motion. Also, do not place
objects such as cushions between the pas- senger and the seatback. If you do so, the riskof sliding under the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen will increase,and both can result in serious internal injuryor death.
HS0247

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-5
– CONTINUED –
Seat cushion height adjustment
(driver’ s seat)
The height of the seat can be adjusted by moving the seat cushion adjustment lever up and down.
HG1003BB
1) When the lever is pushed down, the seat is lowered.
2) When the lever is pulled up, the seat
rises.
Head restraint adjustment
To raise the head restraint, pull it up.
HB1016BA
To lower it, push the head restraint down while
pressing the release button on the top of the seat- back.
The head restraint should be adjusted so that the
center of the head restraint is closest to the top ofthe occupant ’s ears.
WARNING
Never drive the vehicle with the head re-
straints removed because they are designedto reduce the risk of serious neck injury in the
event that the vehicle is struck from the rear.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-6
Seat heater (if equipped)
HG1004BA
The seat heater operates when the ignition switch is
either in the “ACC” or “ON” position.
To turn on the seat heater, push the “LO” or “HI”
position on the switch, as desired, depending on the
temperature.
HG1007BB
1) HI – Rapid heating
2) LO – Normal heating
The indicator located on the switch comes on when the seat heater is in operation. When the vehicle ’s in-
terior is warmed enough or before you leave the ve-
hicle, be sure to turn the switch off.
CAUTION
There is a possibility that people with deli-
cate skin may suffer slight burns even at low
temperatures if he/she uses the seat heaterfor a long period of time. When using the
heater, always be sure to warn the personsconcerned.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-7
– CONTINUED –
Do not put anything on the seat which insu-
lates against heat, such as a blanket, cushion, or similar items. This may cause the seat heat-er to overheat.
NOTE Use of the seat heater for a long period of time
while the engine is not running can cause battery discharge. When cleaning the seat, do not use benzine,
paint thinner, or any similar materials. Rear seats
WARNING
Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits well back and upright in the
seat. Do not put cushions or any other materi-
als between occupants and seatbacks or seat
cushions. If you do so, the risk of slidingunder 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.
HG1005BA

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-8
WARNING
Never allow passengers to ride on the
folded rear seatback or in the cargo area. Do- ing so may result in serious injury or death. Never stack luggage or other cargo higher
than the top of the seatback because it couldtumble forward and injure passengers in theevent of a sudden stop or accident.
HG1006BA
Armrest (if equipped)
HG1008BA
To lower the armrest, pull on the top edge of the
armrest.
WARNING
To avoid the possibility of serious injury, pas- sengers must never be allowed to sit on thecenter armrest while the vehicle is in motion.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-9
– CONTINUED –
Loading long objects
HG1029BA
Folding down the armrest and opening the seatback
panel affords a loading space for long objects.
To open the seatback panel, pull the release tab.
WARNING
Secure long objects properly to prevent
them from shooting forward and causing seri-
ous injury during a sudden stop or sharp cor-
nering. Tie long objects down with a rope orsomething equivalent. Avoid loading objects longer than 6.6 ft (2
m) and heavier than 55 lb (25 kg). Such objects can interfere with the driver ’s proper operation of the car, possibly causing an acci-
dent and serious injury.
HG1009BA

Folding down the rear seat – Wagon
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 cushion
above the seat cushion. And make certain thatthe shoulder belts are fully visible. Never permit anyone to ride in the cargo
area.