2005 SUBARU FORESTER airbag

2
How to use this owner’s manual „Using your Owner’s manual
Before you operate your vehicle, carefully read this
manual. To protect yourself and extend the service life
of your vehicle, follow the instructions in this manual.
Failure to observe these instructions may result in se-
rious injury and damage to your vehicle.
This manual is composed of fourteen chapters. Each
chapter begins with a brief table of contents, so you
can usually tell at a glance if that chapter contains the
information you want.
Chapter 1: Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
This chapter informs you how to use the seat and seat-
belt and contains precautions for the SRS airbags.
Chapter 2: Keys and doors
This chapter informs you how to operate the keys,
locks and windows.
Chapter 3: Instruments and controls
This chapter informs you about the operation of instru-
ment panel indicators and how to use the instruments
and other switches.
Chapter 4: Climate Control
This chapter informs you how to operate the climate
control.
Chapter 5: Audio This chapter informs you how to operate your audiosystem.
Chapter 6: Interior equipment
This chapter informs you how to operate interior
equipment.
Chapter 7: Starting and operating
This chapter informs you how to start and operate your SUBARU.
Chapter 8: Driving tips
This chapter informs you how to drive your SUBARU
in various conditions and explains some safety tips on
driving.
Chapter 9: In case of emergency
This chapter informs you what to do if you have a prob-
lem while driving, such as a flat tire or engine over-
heating.
Chapter 10: Appearance care
This chapter informs you how to keep your SUBARU
looking good.
Chapter 11: Maintenance and service
This chapter informs you when you need to take your
SUBARU to the dealer for scheduled maintenance
and informs you how to keep your SUBARU running
properly.
Chapter 12: Specifications
This chapter informs you about dimension and capac-
ities of your SUBARU.

6
Safety precautions when driving „Seatbelt and SRS airbag
yAll 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.y To obtain maximum protection in the event of
an accident, the driver and all passengers in the
vehicle should always wear seatbelts when the
vehicle is moving. The SRS (Supplemental Re-
straint System) airbag does not do away with
the need to fasten seatbelts. In combination
with the seatbelts, it offers the best combined
protection in case of a serious accident.
Not wearing a seatbelt increases the chance of
severe injury or death in a crash even when the
vehicle has the SRS airbag. y 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 airbag needs enough space for deploy-
Outside mirror defogger
Rear window defogger
Air recirculation
Engine oil Washer
Mark Name

7
–
CONTINUED –
ment, the driver should always sit upright and
well back in the seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still maintaining full ve-
hicle control and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as possible and sit
upright and well back in the seat.
Carefully read the sections “Seatbelts” and “*SRS air-
bag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)” in chap-
ter 1 of this owner’s manual for instructions and pre-
cautions concerning the seatbelt system and SRS air-
bag system. „ Child safety
yNever hold a child on your lap or in your arms
while the vehicle is moving. The passenger
cannot protect the child from injury in a colli-
sion, because the child will be caught between
the passenger and objects inside the vehicle. y While riding in the vehicle, infants and small
children should always be placed in the REAR
seat in an infant or child restraint system which
is appropriate for the child’s age, height and weight. 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. Accord-
ing to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating po-
sitions than in the front seating positions. Nev-
er allow a child to stand up or kneel on the seat. y
Put children aged 12 and under in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all times in a child
restraint device or in a seatbelt. 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 being injured from deployment is
greater.y 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. y Always use the child safety locks whenever a
child rides in the rear seat. Serious injury could
result if a child accidentally opened the door
and fell out. Refer to the “Child safety locks”
section in chapter 2.

8
yAlways lock the passenger’s windows using
the lock switch when children are riding in the
vehicle. Failure to follow this procedure could
result in injury to a child operating the power
window. Refer to the “Windows” section in
chapter 2. y Never leave unattended children in the vehi-
cle. They could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent operation of the
vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny days, tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could quickly become
high enough to cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to them.
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint sys-
tems”,“*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System
airbag)”, and “Seatbelts” in chapter 1 of this owner’s
manual for instructions and precautions concerning
the child restraint system, seatbelt system and SRS
airbag system. „
Engine exhaust gas (carbon monox- ide)
yNever inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine ex-
haust gas contains carbon monoxide, a color-
less and odorless gas which is dangerous, or
even lethal, if inhaled.y Always properly maintain the engine exhaust
system to prevent engine exhaust gas from en-
tering the vehicle.y Never run the engine in a closed space, such
as a garage, except for the brief time needed to
drive the vehicle in or out of it.y Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a
lengthy time while the engine is running. If that
is unavoidable, then use the ventilation fan to
force fresh air into the vehicle.y Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free from snow, leaves or other obstructions to
ensure that the ventilation system always
works properly. y If at any time you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the vehicle, have the problem
checked and corrected as soon as possible. If
you must drive under these conditions, drive

14
9
12
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
13
10
11
Table of contentsSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Keys and doors
Instruments and controls
Climate control Audio
Interior equipment
Starting and operating
Driving tips
In case of emergency
Appearance care
Maintenance and service
Specifications
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects
Index

18
„
Instrument panel
12 3 4 5 67
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
16 13
USF032BB
1) Door locks (page 2-6)
2) Outside mirror switch (page 3-
37)
3) Light control lever (page 3-23)
4) Combination meter (page 3-7)
5) Wiper control lever (page 3-28)
6) Hazard warning flasher switch
(page 3-7)
7) Audio (page 5-2)
8) Gear shift lever (MT) (page 7-
12)/Selector lever (AT) (page 7-
15)
9) Climate control (page 4-2)
10) Cruise control (page 7-38)
11) Horn (page 3-40)
12) SRS airbag (page 1-53)
13) Tilt steering (page 3-39)
14) Fuse (page 11-60)/Coin tray (page 6-7)
15) Hood lock release knob (page 11-5)
16) Power window (page 2-24)

28
TWarning and indicator light
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-13
SRS airbag system warning light 3-13
CHECK ENGINE warning
light/Malfunction indicator lamp 3-13
Charge warning light 3-14
Oil pressure warning light 3-15
AT OIL temperature warning
light (AT vehicles) 3-15
or ABS warning light 3-15
or Brake system warning light 3-18
Door open warning light 3-19
All-Wheel Drive warning
light (AT vehicles) 3-19
Low fuel warning light 3-19
Turn signal indicator lights 3-21
High beam indicator light 3-21 Security indicator light (if equipped) 2-17
Cruise control indicator light (if equipped) 3-21
Cruise control set indicator
light (if equipped) 3-21
Vehicle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light (if equipped) 3-20
Vehicle Dynamics Control
warning light/Vehicle Dy-
namics Control OFF indica-
tor light (if equipped) 3-16
Mark Name Page

1-1
1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats .................................................... 1-2 Manual seat ....................................................... 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) .................................. 1-5
Lumbar support ................................................ 1-7
Head restraint adjustment ................................ 1-8
Active head restraint ........................................ 1-9
Seat heater (if equipped) .............................. 1-10
Rear seats ..................................................... 1-11 Head restraint adjustment ................................ 1-12
Folding down the rear seatback ...................... 1-13
Seatbelts ....................................................... 1-14 Seatbelt safety tips ........................................... 1-14
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) .............. 1-15
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ............................................................ 1-16
Seatbelt warning light and chime .................... 1-16
Fastening the seatbelt ...................................... 1-16
Seatbelt maintenance ....................................... 1-29
Seatbelt extender ......................................... 1-29
Front seatbelt pretensioners ....................... 1-31 System monitors ............................................... 1-32
System servicing .............................................. 1-33
Precautions against vehicle modification ...... 1-34
Child restraint systems ................................ 1-35 Where to place a child restraint system ......... 1-37
Choosing a child restraint system .................. 1-38
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR seatbelt ............................................................ 1-39
Installing a booster seat ................................... 1-44 Installation of child restraint systems by use
of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) .... 1-45
Top tether anchorages ..................................... 1-50
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) ........................................... 1-53Vehicle with driver’s and front passenger’s SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints ..... 1-53
SRS frontal airbag ............................................ 1-57
SRS side airbag (if equipped) .......................... 1-65
SRS airbag system monitors ........................... 1-73
SRS airbag system servicing .......................... 1-75
Precautions against vehicle modification ...... 1-76