2003 SUBARU OUTBACK belt

1-10Rear seats
WARNING
Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. 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 can result in
serious internal injury or death. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded rear seatback, in
the cargo area. Doing so may result in serious injury or death. Never stack luggage or other cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble forward and injure passengersin the event of a sudden stop or accident. Secure skis and other lengthy items properly to prevent them
from being thrown around inside the vehicle and causing serious
injury during a sudden stop, a sudden steering or a rapid accel-eration.
HB0302
Sit well back and upright.
Armrest (if equipped)
WARNING
To avoid the possibility of serious injury, passengers must never be allowed to sit on the center armrest while the vehicle is in mo-tion.

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HB1068BBHB1100BB
To lower the armrest, pull on the top edge of the armrest.
Loading long objects (Sedan)
WARNING
Secure long objects properly to prevent them from shooting
forward and causing serious injury during a sudden stop or
sharp cornering. Tie long objects down with a rope or somethingequivalent. 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 accident and serious
injury.
HB1053BA
HB1052BA

1-12Folding down the armrest and opening the seatback panel affords a
loading space for long objects.
To open the seatback panel, pull the panel down while pressing the
release tab down.
Headrest adjustment — Rear center seating position
on Station wagon
HB1099BA
To raise the headrest, pull it up. To lower it, push the headrest down while
pressing the release button on the top of the seatback.
When the rear center seating position is occupied, place the headrest in
its highest position. When the rear center seating position is not occu-
pied, lower the headrest to improve rearward visibility. Folding down the rear seat — Station wagon
WARNING
After returning the rear seat to its original position, be certain
to place all of the seatbelts and the tab attached to the seat cush- ion above the seat cushion. And make certain that the shoulderbelts are fully visible. Never permit anyone to ride in the cargo area.

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Folding down the seatback
HB1095BA
HB1094BA
1. Lower the headrests.
2. Unlock the seatback by pulling the release knob and then fold theseatback down. Folding down the seat cushion and seatback
1. Move the front seat forward.
2. Close the rear passengers ’ cup holder and ashtray.
3. Remove the headrests (if so equipped).
Window-side seating positions: Pull the headrest up while pressing
the release button located on the backside of the seatback.Center seating position: Pull the headrest up while pressing the re-
lease button located on the top of the seatback.
HB1099CB
HB1096BB

1-144. Store the seatbelts in the seatbelt pockets to prevent them from fal- ling below the cushion.
HB1074BB
5. Raise the seat cushion by pulling up the tab.
Make certain that the rear passenger
’s cup holder is fully retracted
before raising the seat cushion.
HB1097BA
6. Unlock the seatback by pulling the release knob and fold the seat-
back down. Confirm that the pin located at the bottom of the seat
cushion is inserted into the slot at the top of the seatback.

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HB1027BA
7. Install the headrests (if so equipped) onto the backside of the seat- back (window-side positions only).
HB1098BA
To return the rear seat to its original position, raise the seatback and seat
cushion until they lock into place and make sure that they are securelylocked.
Make sure that the rear seatbelts are not under the seat cushion or seat-back.
Place the headrests (if so equipped) back in their normal position.

1-16Seatbelts
Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
All persons in the vehicle should fasten their seatbelts BE-
FORE the vehicle starts to move. Otherwise, the possibility of se-
rious injury becomes greater in the event of a sudden stop or ac-cident. All belts should fit snugly in order to provide full restraint.
Loose fitting belts are not as effective 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. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious injury or death could result. Replace all seatbelt assemblies including retractors and at-
taching hardware worn by occupants of a vehicle that has been ina serious accident. The entire assembly should be replaced evenif damage is not obvious. 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. Forthat reason, we strongly recommend that ALL children (includingthose in child seats and those that have outgrown child restraint
devices) sit in the REAR seat properly restrained at all times in achild restraint device or in a seatbelt, whichever is appropriate forthe child ’s height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forwardfacing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times.
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.

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According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seatingpositions. For instructions and precautions concerning the childrestraint system, see the
“Child restraint systems ” section in this
chapter.
Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is suitable for your vehicle. See in-
formation on “Child restraint systems ” in this chapter.
Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint system, the child should sit in
the rear seat and be restrained using the seatbelts. According to ac-
cident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front seating positions. Never allow a
child to stand up or kneel on the seat.
If the shoulder portion of the belt crosses the face or neck, move the
child closer to the belt buckle to help provide a good shoulder belt fit.
Care must be taken to securely place the lap belt as low as possibleon the hips and not on the child ’s waist. If the shoulder portion of the
belt cannot be properly positioned, a child restraint system should beused. Never place the shoulder belt under the child ’s arm or behind
the child ’s back.
Expectant mothers
HS1107AA