2006 SUBARU IMPREZA length

6
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint
systems ”, “*SRS airbag (Supplemental
Restraint System airbag) ”, and “Seatbelts ”
in chapter 1 of this owner ’s manual for in-
structions and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, seatbelt system
and SRS airbag system.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
Drinking and driving
Drunken driving is one of the most fre-
quent causes of accidents. Since alcohol
affects all people differently, you may
have consumed too much alcohol to drive
safely even if the level of alcohol in your
blood is below the legal limit. The safest
thing you can do is never drink and drive.
However if you have no choice but to
drive, stop drinking and sober up com-
pletely before getting behind the wheel.
Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.
Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
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.
Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy time while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use the ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.
If at any time you suspect that ex-
haust fumes are entering the vehi-
cle, have the problem checked
and corrected as soon as possi-
ble. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all win-
dows fully open.
Keep the trunk lid or rear gate
closed while driving to prevent ex-
haust gas from entering the vehi-
cle.
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Alcohol in the blood-
stream delays your reaction and im-
pairs your perception, judgment and
attentiveness. If you drive after
drinking – even if you drink just a lit-
tle – it will increase the risk of being
involved in a serious or fatal acci-
dent, injuring or killing yourself,
your passengers and others. In ad-
dition, if you are injured in the acci-
dent, alcohol may increase the se-
verity of that injury.
Please don ’t drink and drive.

1-8 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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.
The head restraint should be adjusted so
that the center of the head restraint is clos-
est to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
When the seats are not occupied, lower
the head restraints to improve rearward
visibility.
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, raise 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 –
Wagon
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.
100098100099
After returning the rear seat to its
original position, be certain to
place all of the seatbelts and the
tab attached to the seat cushion
above the seat cushion. And 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 for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-19
Seatbelt extender
If the front seatbelts are not long enough
to permit the tongue plate to engage with
the seatbelt buckle, an optional seatbelt
extender is available from your SUBARU
dealer. When ordering an extender, only
order one particularly designed for your
vehicle. Several different types of extend-
ers are available to match various variet-
ies of front seatbelt designs. See your
SUBARU dealer for assistance.
The extender adds approximately 8 inch-
es (200 mm) of length and it can be used
for either the driver or front passenger
seating position.
For the safety of others, the extender
should be removed after each use, espe-
cially if the next person using the seatbelt
does not need one.
Note that leaving the seatbelt extender ’s
tongue plate engaged with the seatbelt
buckle may prevent the Subaru advanced
front airbag system from functioning cor-
rectly or cause the system to fail.
NOTE
When the seatbelt extender is used by a pregnant passenger, consult a doctor
to get approval in advance.
To connect the extender to the seatbelt,
insert the tongue plate into the seatbelt
buckle so that the
“PRESS ” signs on the
buckle-release buttons of the extender
and the seatbelt are both facing outward
as shown in the diagram. You will hear a
click when the tongue plate locks into the
buckle.
When releasing the seatbelt, press on the
buckle-release button on the extender, not
on the seatbelt. This helps to prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extend-
er itself.
Be sure to observe the following
when using the seatbelt extender.
Failure to follow these instructions
and warnings could reduce the ef-
fectiveness of the seatbelt and re-
sult in more serious injury in the
event of a collision.
Never use the extender when the
belt itself is long enough to permit
it to be buckled properly. If remov-
al of heavy clothing is all that is
needed to permit the seatbelt to
be buckled properly, remove the
heavy clothing and do not use the
extender.
Do not use the extender if the
buckle of the extender rests over
the abdomen.
Do not let someone else use the
extender. Use of an extender
when it is not needed could re-
duce the effectiveness of the seat-
belt and result in more serious in-
jury in the event of a collision.
Use the extender only for the front
seatbelts and only for the model
for which it was originally provid-
ed. Never use the extender for the
rear seatbelts or for a different
model.
100605

6-10 Interior equipment
Cargo area cover (Wagon – if
equipped)
The cargo area cover is provided for cov-
ering the cargo area and to protect its con-
tents from direct sunlight. This cover is de-
tachable to make room for additional car-
go.
Using the cover
To extend the cover, pull the end of the
cover out of the housing, then insert its
hooks into the catches as shown. To re-
wind it, unhook it from the catches and it
will rewind automatically. You should hold
on to the cover and guide it back into the
cover housing while it is rewinding.
To remove the cover
1. Rewind the cover. 2. Pull either sleeve on the end of the cov-
er housing to shorten the cover
’s length.
3. Take it off the retainer.
Stowage of the cover
600225
Do not place anything on the ex-
tended cover. Putting excessive
weight on the extended cover can
break it and an object on the cover
could tumble forward in the event of
a sudden stop or collision. This
could cause serious injury.
Be careful not to scratch the rear
gate stays while extending and re-
winding the cover.
Scratches on the stays could cause
leakage of gas from the stays, which
may result in their inability to hold
the rear gate open.
600226
600227

Interior equipment 6-11
The cargo area cover can be stowed un-
der the cargo floor.
To install the cover housing
1. Pull either sleeve on the end of the cov-
er housing to shorten the cover ’s length.
2. Insert the projections located on the
both ends of the sleeve into the recesses
of the retainers.
Cargo tie-down hooks (Wag-
on – if equipped)
The cargo area is equipped with four tie-
down hooks so that cargo can be secured
with a cargo net or ropes.
When using the tie-down hooks, turn them
down out of the storing recesses. When
not in use, put the hooks up into the stor-
ing recesses.
600228
600229
The cargo tie-down hooks are de-
signed only for securing light cargo.
Never try to secure cargo that ex-
ceeds the capacity of the hooks. The
maximum load capacity is 44 lbs (20
kg) per a hook.

8-2 Driving tips
Driving tipsNew vehicle break-in driving – the first 1,000 miles (1,600
km)
The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent on how you handle
and care for your vehicle while it is new.
Follow these instructions during the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km):
Do not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency.
Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.
Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency.
Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to an overhauled engine, newly
mounted engine or when brake pads or
brake linings are replaced with new ones.
Fuel economy hints
The following suggestions will help to
save your fuel.
Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.
Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain that speed for as long as possible.
Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.
Avoid unnecessary engine idling.
Keep the engine properly tuned.
Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire placard, which
is located under the door latch on the driv-
er ’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.
Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.
Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.
Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon
monoxide)
Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.
Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.
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.
Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy time while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use the ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.
Always keep the front ventilator
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.

Driving tips 8-13
– CONTINUED –
NOTE
For better fuel economy, do not carry
unneeded cargo.
Vehicle capacity weight
The load capacity of your vehicle is deter-
mined by weight, not by available cargo
space. The maximum load you can carry
in your vehicle is shown on the vehicle
When you carry something inside
the vehicle, secure it whenever
you can to prevent it from being
thrown around inside the vehicle
during sudden stops, sharp turns
or in an accident.
Do not pile heavy loads on the
roof. These loads raise the vehi-
cle’s center of gravity and make it
more prone to tip over.
Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.
Never exceed the maximum load
limit. If you do, some parts on
your vehicle can break, or it can
change the way your vehicle han-
dles. This could result in loss of
control and cause personal injury.
Also, overloading can shorten the
life of your vehicle.
Do not place anything on the rear
shelf behind the rear seatback (for
sedan) or the extended luggage
cover (for wagon). Such items
could tumble forward in the event
of a sudden stop or a collision.
This could cause serious injury.
Do not carry spray cans, containers
with flammable or corrosive liquids
or any other dangerous items inside
the vehicle.
800260
B00164

8-26 Driving tips
trailer.
Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable.
Check that the tire pressures are cor-
rect.
Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that – the trailer tongue is connected prop-
erly to the hitch ball. – the trailer lights connector is connect-
ed properly and trailer ’s brake lights illu-
minate when the vehicle ’s brake pedal
is pressed, and that the trailer ’s turn sig-
nal lights flash when the vehicle ’s turn
signal lever is operated.– the safety chains are connected prop-
erly.– all cargo in the trailer is secured safe-
ty in position.– the side mirrors provide a good rear-
ward field of view without a significant
blind spot.
Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel ” of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up.
Driving with a trailer
You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may re-
sult in skidding or jackknifing and loss of
control.
Avoid abrupt starts and sudden acceler-
ations. If your vehicle has a manual trans-
mission, always start out in first gear and
release the clutch at moderate engine rev-
olution.
Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.
Slow down before turning. Make a long-
er than normal turning radius because the
trailer wheels will be closer than the vehi-
cle wheels to the inside of the turn. In a
tight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle.
Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
tracks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down im-
mediately but gradually.
When passing other vehicles, consider-
able distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by at-
taching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
steering wheel with one hand and turn it to
the left for a left turn, and turn it to the right
for a right turn.
If the ABS warning light illuminates
while the vehicle is in motion, stop towing
the trailer and have repairs performed im-
mediately by the nearest SUBARU dealer.
Driving on grades
Before going down a steep hill, slow
down and shift into lower gear (if neces-
sary, use 1st gear) in order to utilize the
engine braking effect and prevent over-
1 2
800231