2003 SUBARU FORESTER ECU

11
–
CONTINUED –
these situations. It is also for their own safety that pets
should be properly restrained in your vehicle. Restrain
a pet with a special traveling harness which can be se-
cured to the rear seat with a seatbelt or use a pet car-
rier which can be secured to the rear seat by routing a
seatbelt through the carrier’s handle. Never restrain
pets or pet carriers in the front passenger’s seat. For
further information, consult yo ur veterinarian, local an-
imal protection society or pet shop. Tire pressures
Check and, if necessary, adjust the pressure of each
tire (including the spare) at least once a month and be-
fore any long journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are cold. Use a
pressure gauge to adjust the tire pressures to the val-
ues shown on the tire placard.
Refer to the “Tires and wheels” section in chapter 11
for detailed information.
Driving at high speeds with excessively low tire
pressures can cause the tires to deform severe-
ly and to rapidly become hot. A sharp increase
in temperature could cause tread separation, and destruction of the tires. The resulting loss
of vehicle control could lead to an accident.
California proposition 65 warning
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents, and
certain vehicle components contain or emit
chemicals known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or other repro-
ductive harm.

21
–
CONTINUED –
Warning and indicator light
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-9
SRS airbag system warning light 3-10
CHECK ENGINE warning
light/Malfunction indicatorlamp 3-10
Charge warning light 3-11
Oil pressure warning light 3-11
AT OIL temperature warning
light (if equipped) 3-12
or ABS warning light 3-12
or Brake system warning light 3-13
Door open warning light 3-14
Front-wheel drive warning
light (if equipped) 3-15
Low fuel warning light 3-14
Turn signal indicator lights 3-15
High beam indicator light 3-15
Security system indicator
light (if equipped) 2-14
Cruise control indicator light
(if equipped) 3-15
Mark Name Page

1-4
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

Reclining the seatback
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 operat-
ing the reclining lever to return the seatback, hold it
lightly so that it may be raised back gradually.
To prevent the passenger from sliding under
the seatbelt in the event of a collision, always
put the seatback in the upright position while
the vehicle is in motion. Also, do not place ob-
jects such as cushions between the passenger
and the seatback. If you do so, the risk of slid-
ing under 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.
HS1036BA
HS1037BA

1-12
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1. Lower the headrests.
2. Unlock the seatback by pulling the release knob
and then fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original position, raise the
seatback until it locks into place and make sure that it
is securely locked.

After returning the rear seatback to its origi-
nal position, make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded
rear seatback or in the cargo area. Doing so
may result in serious injury or death. Secure lengthy items properly to prevent
them from shooting forward and causing seri-
ous injury during a sudden stop.
Seatbelts Seatbelt safety tips
All persons in the vehicle should fasten their
seatbelts BEFORE the vehicle starts to move.
Otherwise, the possibility of serious injury be-
comes greater in the event of a sudden stop or
accident. All belts should fit snugly in order to provide
full restraint. Loose fitting belts are not as ef-
fective 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. Otherwise, in
an accident, serious injury or death could re-
sult. Replace all seatbelt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware worn by occu-
pants of a vehicle that has been in a serious
accident. The entire assembly should be re-
placed even if damage is not obvious. Put children aged 12 and under in the rear
seat properly restrained at all times. The SRS
airbag deploys with considerable speed and

1-14
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags

Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the seatbelts.
They should consult their doctor for specific recom-
mendations. The lap belt should be worn securely and
as low as possible over the hips, not over the waist. Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency Locking Re-
tractor (ELR).
The emergency locking retractor allows normal body
movement but the retractor locks automatically during
a sudden stop, impact or if you pull the belt very quick-
ly out of the retractor.
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (A/ELR)
Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Automatic/Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (A/ELR). The Automatic/
Emergency Locking Retractor normally functions as
an Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR). The A/ELR
has an additional locking mode “Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) mode” intended to secure a child re-
straint system. When the seatbelt is once drawn out
completely and is then retracted even slightly, the re-
tractor locks the seatbelt in that position and the seat-
belt cannot be extended. As the belt is rewinding,
clicks will be heard which indicate the retractor func-
tions as an ALR. When the seatbelt is retracted fully,
the ALR mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on the rear
seats by the use of the seatbelt, the seatbelt must be
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 re-
turned 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, see the
“Child restraint systems” section in this chapter.
HS1107AA

1-32
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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, be sure to secure ALL types of
child restraint devices (including forward fac-
ing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times.
You should choose a restraint device which is
appropriate for the child

1-33
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
–CONTINUED –
come hot in a vehicle that has been closed up
in sunny weather; they could burn a small child.
Check the child restraint system before you
place a child in it. Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
system in your vehicle. Unsecured child re-
straint systems can be thrown around inside of
the vehicle in a sudden stop, turn or accident; it
can strike and injure vehicle occupants as well
as result in serious injuries or death to the
child.
Installing child restraint systems with
seatbelt
1. Set the child restraint system in the seating posi-
tion.
2. Run the lap and shoulder belt through or around
the child restraint system following the instructions
provided by its manufacturer. If the shoulder belt goes
in front of the child’s face or neck, put it behind the
child restraint system.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle.
4. Take up the slack in the lap belt.
5. Pull out the seatbelt fully from the retractor to
change the retractor over from the Emergency Lock-
HS1073BA

1-34
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
ing Retractor (ELR) to the Automatic Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR) function. Then, allow the belt to rewind into
the retractor. As the belt is rewinding, clicks will be
heard which indicate the retractor functions as ALR.
6. Before having a child sit in the child restraint sys-
tem, move it back and forth to check if it is firmly se-
cured. Sometimes a child restraint can be more firmly
secured by pushing it down into the seat cushion and
then tightening the seatbelt.
7. Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt to confirm
that it cannot be pulled out (ALR properly functioning).
If the child restraint system requires a top tether, latch
the hook onto the top tether anchor and tighten the top
tether. See the “Top tether anchorages” for additional
instructions.
8. To remove the child restraint system, press the re-
lease button on the seatbelt buckle and allow the belt
to retract completely. The belt will return to the ELR mode.
If you have any question concerning this type of child
restraint system, ask your SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
When the child restraint system is no longer in
use, remove it and restore the ELR function of the
retractor. That function is restored by allowing the
seatbelt to retract fully.
When you install a child restraint system, fol-
low the manufacturer