2002 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

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SRS airbags deploy as soon as a collision occurs. After deployment, SRS airbags start to deflate immediately
so that the driver’svision is not obstructed.
OM-H0384
Driver’s side Passenger’s side
The SRS airbag can function only when the ignition switch is in the
“ON”
position.
If the front sub sensors inside the both front fenders and the impact
sensors in the airbag control module detect a certain predetermined
amount of force during a frontal collision, the control module sends
signals to the frontal airbag modules instructing them to inflate the
SRS frontal airbags. Then both airbag modules produce gas, whichinstantly inflates driver ’s and passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags. After
the deployment, the SRS airbags immediately start to deflate so thatthe driver ’s vision is not obstructed. The time required from detecting
impact to the deflation of the SRS airbag after deployment is shorter
than the blink of an eye.
The front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag deploys together with driv-
er’ s SRS frontal airbag even when no one occupies the front passen-
ger’ s seat.
When the SRS frontal airbags deploy, the driver ’s and front passen-
ger’ s seatbelt pretensioners operate at the same time.
Although it is highly unlikely that the SRS airbag would activate in a
non-accident situation, should it occur, the SRS airbag will deflate
quickly, not obscuring vision and will not interfere with the driver ’s
ability to maintain control of the vehicle.

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When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden, fairly loud inflation noise will
be heard and some smoke will be released. These occurrences are
normal result of the deployment. This smoke does not indicate a fire inthe vehicle.
The SRS frontal airbag is designed to deploy in the event of an acci-
dent involving a moderate to severe frontal collision. It is basically not
designed to deploy in lesser frontal impacts because the necessary
protection can be achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, it is basically
not designed to deploy in side or rear impacts or in roll-over acci-
dents because deployment of the SRS frontal airbag would not helpthe occupant in those situations. The SRS airbag is designed to func-
tion on a one-time-only basis.
SRS airbag deployment depends on the level of force experienced in
the passenger compartment during a collision. That level differs from
one type of collision to another, and it may have no bearing on thevisible damage done to the vehicle itself. nExamples of accident in which the SRS frontal airbag will most
likely deploy.
A head-on collision against a thick concrete wall at a vehicle speed of
12 to 19 mph (20 to 30 km/h) or higher activates the SRS frontal air-
bag. The SRS frontal airbag will also be activated when the vehicle is
exposed to a frontal impact similar in fashion and magnitude to the
above-mentioned collision.
HB1055BA

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nExamples of the types of accidents in which it is possible that
the SRS frontal airbag will deploy.
The SRS frontal airbag may be activated when the vehicle sustains a
hard impact in the undercarriage area from the road surface (such as
when the vehicle plunges into a deep ditch, is severely bumped or
knocked hard against an obstacle on the road such as a curb).
HB1057BA
HB1056BA
n Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS frontal
airbag is unlikely to deploy.
There are many types of collisions which might not necessarily require
SRS frontal airbag deployment. If the vehicle strikes an object, suchas a telephone pole or sign pole, or if it slides under a truck ’s load
bed, or if it sustains an oblique offset frontal impact, the SRS frontal
airbag may not deploy depending on the level of accident forces in-volved.
HB0311
HB1042BB
HB1041AB The vehicle sustains an oblique offset frontal impact.

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nExamples of the types of accidents in which the SRS frontal
airbag will basically not deploy.
The SRS frontal airbag is basically not designed to deploy if the
vehicle is struck from side or from behind, or if it rolls onto its side or
roof, or if it is involved in a low-speed frontal collision.
HB1044AB
The vehicle is struck from the side.
HB0313
HB1043BB
In an accident where the vehicle is impacted more than once, the
SRS frontal airbag deploys only once.Example: In the case of a double collision, first with another vehicle,
then against a concrete wall in immediate succession, once the SRS
frontal airbag is activated on the first impact, it will not be activated onthe second.
HB1070BB

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SRS side airbag (if equipped)
WARNING
The SRS side airbag is designed as only a supplement to the
primary protection provided by the seatbelt. It does not do away with the need to fasten seatbelts. It is also important to wear your
seatbelt to help avoid injuries that can result when an occupant isnot seated in a proper upright position. Do not sit or lean unnecessarily close to either front door. The
SRS side airbag is stored in both front seat seatbacks next to the
door, and it provides protection by deploying rapidly (faster thanthe blink of an eye) in the event of a side impact collision. Howev-
er, the force of SRS side airbag deployment may cause injuries ifyour head or other body parts are too close to the SRS side air-bag. Do not rest your arm on either front door or its internal trim. It
could be injured in the event of SRS side airbag deployment. Never allow a child to kneel on the front passenger ’s seat fac-
ing the side window or to wrap his/her arms around the front seat
seatback. In the event of an accident, the force of SRS side airbag
deployment could seriously injure or even kill the child becausehis/her head or arms or other body parts are close to the side air-bag. Since your vehicle is also equipped with a passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbag, children aged 12 and under should be placed inthe rear seat anyway and should be properly restrained at alltimes.

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HB0353
HB0352
Do not sit or lean unnecessary close
to the front door.Do not rest your arm on either front door or its internal trim.
HB0354
Never allow a child to kneel on the front passenger ’s seat facing the side
window.
HB0355
Never allow a child to wrap his/her arms around the front seatback.
WARNING
Do not attach accessories to the door trim or near either SRS
side airbags and do not place objects near the SRS side airbags. In the event of the SRS side airbag deployment, they could bepropelled dangerously toward the vehicle ’s occupants and cause
injuries. Do not put any kind of cover or clothes or other objects over
either front seatback and do not attach labels or stickers to thefront seat surface on or near the SRS side airbag. They could pre-vent proper deployment of the SRS side airbag, reducing protec-tion available to the front seat ’s occupant.

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HS0353
Do not put any kind of cover over either seatback.Do not attach accessories to the door trim or near either side airbag and do not place objects near either side air- bag.
HB0366
The SRS side airbag is stored in the door side of each front seatback, which bears an “SRS AIRBAG ” label.
In a moderate to severe side impact collision, the SRS side airbag on the
impacted side of the vehicle deploys between the occupant and the
door panel and supplements the seatbelt by reducing the impact on the
occupant’ s chest.
Operation
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS side airbag system components around thefront seatback with bare hands right after deployment. Doing socan cause burns because the components can be very hot as aresult of deployment.

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SRS side airbag deploys as soon as a collision occurs.
After deployment, SRS sideairbag starts to deflate immedi-
ately. HB0359
The SRS side airbag can function only when the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
The driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS side airbags deploy indepen-
dently of each other since each has its own impact sensor. Also, the
SRS side airbag deploys independently of the frontal airbags in thesteering wheel and instrument panel. An impact sensor is incorporated into each of the vehicle ’s center pil-
lars. If either sensor detects a certain predetermined amount of force
during a side impact collision, the control module sends a signal to
the side airbag module on the impacted side of the vehicle, instruct-
ing it to inflate the SRS side airbag. Then the side airbag module pro-duces gas, which instantly inflates the SRS side airbag. After the de-
ployment, the SRS side airbag immediately starts to deflate. The time
required from detecting impact to the deflation of the SRS side airbag
after deployment is shorter than the blink of an eye.
The SRS side airbag deploys even when no one occupies the seat on the side of which an impact is applied.