2003 SUBARU LEGACY Owners Manual

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To hook the top tether
n Sedan CAUTION
When the child restraint system is to be secured using the top
tether, always pass the top tether under the headrest between theheadrest stay posts. If the top tether is routed over the headrest,it may not be properly tensioned, resulting in an unsteady childrestraint system.
HBS064BD
HBS063BA
1. Remove the headrest at the seating position where the child seat has been installed with the seatbelt or lower anchorages; lift up the
headrest while pressing the release button.
2. Fasten the top tether hook of the child restraint system to the ap-
propriate upper anchorage.

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HBS065BAHB1064BA
3. Tighten the top tether securely.
4. Reinstall the headrest in such a way that the top tether is routed
between the headrest stay posts. nStation wagon CAUTION
Always remove the headrest when mounting a child restraint sys-
tem with a top tether. Otherwise, it may happen that the top tether
cannot be fastened tightly.
HB1099CB
HB1096BB
1. Remove the headrest (if so equipped) at the seating position
where the child restraint system has been installed with the seatbelt or
lower anchorages; lift up the headrest while pressing the release but-

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ton. Store the headrest in the cargo area. Avoid placing the headrest
in the passenger compartment to prevent it from being thrown around
in the passenger compartment in a sudden stop or a sharp turn.
HB1081BD
2. Fasten the top tether hook of the child restraint system to the ap-
propriate upper anchorage.
3. Tighten the top tether securely.
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
*SRS: This stands for supplemental restraint system. This name is used because the airbag system supplements the vehicle ’s seatbelts.
Vehicle with driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS air-
bags and lap/shoulder restraints
WARNING
To obtain maximum protection in the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers in the vehicle should always wear seat-belts when the vehicle is moving. The SRS airbag is designed
only as a supplement to the primary protection provided by the
seatbelt. It does not do away with the need to fasten seatbelts. In
combination with the seatbelts, it offers the best combinedprotection in case of a serious accident.

1-44Not wearing a seatbelt increases the chance of severe injury or death in a crash even when the car has the SRS airbag.
For instructions and precautions concerning the seatbelt system,see the
“Seatbelts” sections in this chapter.
Do not sit or lean unnecessarily close to the SRS airbag. Be-
cause the SRS airbag deploys with considerable speed – faster
than the blink of an eye – and force to protect in high speed colli-
sions, the force of an airbag can injure an occupant whose bodyis too close to SRS airbag. It is also important to wear your seatbelt to help avoid injuriesthat can result when the SRS airbag contacts an occupant not inproper position such as one thrown forward during pre-accidentbraking.Even when properly positioned, there remains a possibility thatan occupant may suffer minor injury such as abrasions andbruises to the face or arms because of the SRS airbag deploy-ment force. The SRS airbags deploy with considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious injuries. Because the SRS air-bag needs enough space for deployment, the driver should al-ways sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steeringwheel as practical while still maintaining full vehicle control and
the front passenger should move the seat as far back as possibleand sit upright and well back in the seat. Do not place any objects over or near the SRS airbag cover or
between you and the SRS airbag. If the SRS airbag deploys,those objects could interfere with its proper operation and could
be propelled inside the car and cause injury. 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.
For that reason, we strongly recommend that ALL children

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(including those in child seats and those that have outgrown child restraint devices) sit in the REAR seat properly restrained atall times in a child restraint device or in a seatbelt, whichever isappropriate for the child
’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forwardfacing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times.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 child restraint
system, see the “Child restraint systems ” section in this chapter.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TOTHE CHILD BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG. Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front pas-
senger’ s seat, or never hold a child on your lap or in your arms.
The SRS airbag deploys with considerable force and can injure oreven kill the child.
HB0291
Put children in the REAR seat prop- erly restrained at all times.

1-46CAUTION
When the SRS airbag deploys, some smoke will be released.
This smoke could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble. If you or your pas-
sengers have breathing problems after SRS airbag deploys, get
fresh air promptly. A deploying SRS airbag releases hot gas. Occupants could get
burnt if they come into direct contact with the hot gas.
Your vehicle is equipped with a supplemental restraint system in addition
to a lap/shoulder belt at each front seating position.
The supplemental restraint system (SRS) consists of two airbags (driver ’s
and front passenger ’s frontal airbags) or four airbags (driver ’s and front
passenger’ s frontal airbags and driver ’s and front passenger ’s side air-
bags).These SRS airbags are designed only as a supplement to the prima-ry protection provided by the seatbelt.
The system also controls front seatbelt pretensioners. For operation,
instructions are precautions concerning the seatbelt pretensioner, seethe “Front seatbelt pretensioner ” section in this chapter.
NOTE When you sell your vehicle, we urge you to explain to the buyer that
it is equipped with SRS airbags by alerting him to the applicablesection in this owner ’s manual.

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Components
HB1079DB
1 Airbag control module (including impact sensors)
2 Airbag module (driver ’s side)
3 Airbag module
(passenger’ s side)
4 Front sub sensor (left hand side)
5 Front sub sensor (right hand side)
6 Seatbelt pretensioner
(driver’ s side) 7
Seatbelt pretensioner
(passenger’ s side)
8 Side airbag module
(driver’ s side — if equipped)
9 Side airbag module
(passenger’ s side — if
equipped)
Q Side airbag sensor
(driver’ s side)
W Side airbag sensor
(passenger’ s side)
E Airbag wiring (yellow)

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SRS frontal airbag
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SAFETY 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. Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front pas-
senger’ s seat, or never hold a child on your lap or in your arms.
The SRS airbag deploys with considerable force and can injure oreven kill the child. The SRS airbag deploys with considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious injuries. Because the SRS air-bag needs enough space for deployment, the driver should al-ways sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steeringwheel as practical while still maintaining full vehicle control and
the front passenger should move the seat as far back as possibleand sit upright and well back in the seat. It is also important to wear your seatbelt to help avoid injuriesthat can result when the SRS airbag contacts an occupant not inproper position such as one thrown toward the front of the carduring pre-accident braking.
HB0306 HB0307
Never install rearward facing child restraint system in the front passen-
ger’
s seat.
Never allow a child to stand up, or to kneel on the front passenger ’s
seat