2006 SUBARU FORESTER seats

1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats .......................................................... 1-2
Manual seat ............................................................. 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) ........................................ 1-4
Lumbar support (Driver’s seat only) ..................... 1-5
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-5
Active head restraint .............................................. 1-6
Seat heater (if equipped) ................................... 1-6
Rear seats ........................................................... 1-7
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-7
Folding down the rear seatback ............................ 1-8
Armrest (if equipped) ......................................... 1-9
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-10
Seatbelt safety tips ................................................. 1-10
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) .................... 1-11
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) .................................................................. 1-11
Seatbelt warning light and chime .......................... 1-12
Fastening the seatbelt ............................................ 1-12
Seatbelt maintenance ............................................. 1-19
Seatbelt extender ............................................... 1-19
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-20
System monitors .................................................... 1-22
System servicing .................................................... 1-23
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-23
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-24
Where to place a child restraint system ............... 1-25
Choosing a child restraint system ........................ 1-26
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR
seatbelt .................................................................. 1-27 Installing a booster seat ......................................... 1-30
Installation of child restraint systems by use of
lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) ............... 1-31
Top tether anchorages ........................................... 1-34
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) .............................................................. 1-36
Vehicle with driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
airbags and lap/shoulder restraints ................... 1-36
Subaru advanced frontal airbag system .............. 1-41
SRS side airbag (if equipped) ................................ 1-53
SRS airbag system monitors ................................. 1-58
SRS airbag system servicing ................................ 1-59
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-60
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1-2
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seatsyNever adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of loss
of vehicle control and of personal
injury.yBefore adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers are clear of the
adjusting mechanism.ySeatbelts provide maximum re-
straint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat.
To reduce the risk of sliding under
the seatbelt in a collision, the
front seatbacks should be always
used in the upright position while
the vehicle is running. If the front
seatbacks are not used in the up-
right position in a collision, 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.
yThe SRS airbags deploy with con-
siderable speed and force. Occu-
pants who are out of proper posi-
tion when the SRS airbag deploys
could suffer very serious injuries.
Because the SRS airbag needs
enough space for deployment, the
driver should always sit upright
and well back in the seat as far
from the steering wheel as practi-
cal while still maintaining full ve-
hicle control and the front passen-
ger should move the seat as far
back as possible and sit upright
and well back in the seat.
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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 chil-
dren are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk of being injured
from deployment is greater. Conse-
quently, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including those in
child seats and those that have out-
grown child restraint devices) sit in
the REAR seat properly restrained
at all times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is appro-
priate for the child’s age, height and
weight. Secure ALL types of child
restraint devices (including forward
facing child seat) 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 TO THE CHILD
BY PLACING THE CHILD’S HEAD
TOO CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG.
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1-6
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
„Active head restraintThe front seats of your vehicle are
equipped with active head restraints. They
automatically tilt forward slightly in the
event the vehicle is struck from the rear,
decreasing the amount of rearward head
movement and thus reducing the risk of
whiplash. For maximum effectiveness the
head restraint should be adjust so that the
center of the head restraint is closest to
the top of the occupant’s ears.
Seat heater (if equipped)HI – Rapid heating
LO – Normal heatingThe seat heater operates when the igni-
tion switch is either in the “ACC” or “ON”
position.
To turn on the seat heater, push the “LO”
or “HI” position on the switch, as desired,
depending on the temperature. Selecting
the “HI” position will cause the seat to heat
up quicker.
The indicator located on the switch comes
on when the seat heater is in operation.
When the vehicle’s interior is warmed
enough or before you leave the vehicle,
be sure to turn the switch off.
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yEach active head restraint is ef-
fective only when its height is
properly adjusted and the driver/
passenger sits in the correct posi-
tion on the seat.
y If your vehicle is involved in a
rear-end collision, have an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer inspect the
active head restraints.
y The active head restraints may
not operate in the event the vehi-
cle experiences only a slight im-
pact in the rear.
y The active head restraints may be
damaged if they are pushed hard
from behind or subjected to
shock. As a result, they may not
function if the vehicle suffers a
rear impact.
HILO
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-7
– CONTINUED –
NOTEUse of the seat heater for a long period
of time while the engine is not running
can cause battery discharge.
Rear seats
„Head restraint adjustment
yThere is a possibility that people
with delicate skin may suffer
slight burns even at low tempera-
tures if he/she uses the seat heat-
er for a long period of time. When
using the heater, always be sure
to warn the persons concerned.
y Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates against heat,
such as a blanket, cushion, or
similar items. This may cause the
seat heater to overheat.
Seatbelts provide maximum re-
straint 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 ab-
domen will increase, and both can
result in serious internal injury or
death.
100093
Never stack luggage or other cargo
higher than the top of the seatback
because it could tumble forward and
injure passengers in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.Never drive the vehicle with the
head restraints removed because
they are designed to reduce the risk
of serious neck injury in the event
that the vehicle is struck from the
rear.
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1-8
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
TRear windows side seating positionTo raise the head restraint, pull it up.
To lower it, push the head restraint down
while pressing the release button on the
top of the seatback.
When the seats are not occupied, lower
the head restraint to improve rearward vis-
ibility. T
Rear center seating position
To raise the head restraint, pull it up.
To lower it, push the head restraint down
while pressing the release button on the
top of the seatback.
When the rear center seating position is
occupied, place the head restraint to the
click position. When the rear center seat-
ing position is not occupied, lower the
head restraint to improve rearward visibil- ity.
„
Folding down the rear seat-
back
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position. Be-
fore sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to the click position
depending on your sitting height.
100098
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position. Be-
fore sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to the click position
depending on your sitting height.
100099
yAfter returning the rear seatback
to its original position, make cer-
tain that the shoulder belts are ful-
ly visible.yNever allow passengers to ride on
the folded rear seatback or in the
cargo area. Doing so may result in
serious injury or death.ySecure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
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1-10
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seatbelts„Seatbelt safety tips
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt(s) by the
driver and/or front passenger when any of
the SRS frontal and side airbags deploys.
T Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is suit-
able for your vehicle. See information on
“Child restraint systems” in this chapter.
T Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint sys-
tem, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts. Ac-
y All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE the
vehicle starts to move. Otherwise,
the possibility of serious injury
becomes greater in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.yAll belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose fit-
ting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.yEach seatbelt is designed to sup-
port only one person. Never use a
single belt for two or more per-
sons – even children. Otherwise,
in an accident, serious injury or
death could result.yReplace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attaching
hardware worn by occupants of a
vehicle that has been in a serious
accident. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if dam-
age is not obvious.
yPut children aged 12 and under in
the rear seat properly restrained
at all times. The SRS airbag de-
ploys 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 re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from de-
ployment is greater. Consequent-
ly, we strongly recommend that
ALL children (including those in
child seats and those that have
outgrown child restraint devices)
sit in the REAR seat properly re-
strained at all times in a child re-
straint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for the
child’s height and weight.Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including forward
facing 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 TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating po-
sitions. For instructions and pre-
cautions concerning the child re-
straint system, see the “Child re-
straint systems” section in this
chapter.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-11
– CONTINUED –
cording to accident 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, adjust the shoulder belt
anchor height (window-side seating posi-
tions only) and then if necessary move the
child closer to the belt buckle to help pro-
vide a good shoulder belt fit. Care must be
taken to securely place the lap belt as low
as possible on 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 be used. Never
place the shoulder belt under the child’s
arm or behind the child’s back. T
Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the
seatbelts. They should consult their doctor
for specific recommendations. The lap
belt should be worn securely and as low
as possible over the hips, not over the
waist.
„ Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ELR)The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency
Locking Retractor (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 quickly
out of the retractor.
„Automatic/Emergency Lock-
ing Retractor (A/ELR)Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Auto-
matic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/
ELR). The Automatic/Emergency Locking
Retractor normally functions as an Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ELR). The A/
ELR has an additional locking mode “Au-
tomatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode” in-
tended to secure a child restraint system.
When the seatbelt is once drawn out com-
pletely and is then retracted even slightly,
the retractor locks the seatbelt in that po-
sition and the seatbelt cannot be extend-
ed. As the belt is rewinding, clicks will be
heard which indicate the retractor func-
tions as an ALR. When the seatbelt is re-
tracted 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 re-
moved, make sure that the seatbelt re-
tracts fully and the retractor returned to
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
mode.
For instructions on how to convert the re-
tractor to the ALR mode and restore it to
the ELR mode, see the “Child restraint
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1-24
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Child restraint systemsInfants and small children should always
be placed in an infant or child restraint
system in the rear seat while riding in the
vehicle. You should use an infant or child
restraint system that meets Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canada Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards, is compati-
ble with your vehicle and is appropriate for
the child’s age and size. All child restraint
systems are designed to be secured in ve-
hicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt por-
tion of a lap/shoulder belt (except those
covered under the section in this manual,
entitled “Installation of child restraint sys-
tems by use of lower and tether anchorag-
es (LATCH)”).Children could be endangered in an acci-
dent if their child restraints are not proper-
ly secured in the vehicle. When installing
the child restraint system, carefully follow
the manufacturer’s instructions.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
system at all times while the vehicle is
moving.
100607
100125
Never let a passenger hold a child
on his or her lap or in his or her arms
while the vehicle is moving. The
passenger cannot protect the child
from injury in a collision, because
the child will be caught between the
passenger and objects inside the
vehicle.Additionally, holding a child in your
lap or arms in the front seat exposes
that child to another serious danger.
Since the SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force, the
child could be injured or even killed.
100126
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