2006 SUBARU OUTBACK seat adjustment

1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbagsFront seats .......................................................... 1-2 Manual seat ............................................................. 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) ...... ............................ ...... 1-4
Reclining the seatback ........................................... 1-4
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-5
Active head restraint .......... .................................... 1-6
Lumbar support (if equipped) ................................ 1-6
Seat heater (if equipped) ................................... 1-7
Rear seats ........................................................... 1-7 Folding down the rear seat – Station wagon ....... 1-8
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-8
Armrest (if equipped) ......................................... 1-10 Loading long objects (Sedan) ............................... 1-10
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-11 Seatbelt safety tips ................................................. 1-11
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) .................... 1-12
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor
(A/ELR) .................................................................. 1-13
Seatbelt warning light and chime .......................... 1-13
Fastening the seatbelt ............................................ 1-15
Seatbelt maintenance ............................................. 1-21
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-21 System monitors .................................................... 1-22
System servicing .................................................... 1-23
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-24
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-25
Where to place a child restraint system ............... 1-26
Choosing a child restraint system ........................ 1-27 Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR
seatbelt .................................................................. 1-28
Installing a booster seat ......................................... 1-31
Installation of child restraint systems by use of
lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) ............... 1-32
Top tether anchorages ........................................... 1-36
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System
airbag) .............................................................. 1-38 Vehicle with SRS airbags and lap/shoulder
restraints for driver, front passenger, and
window-side rear passengers ............. ............ .... 1-38
Subaru advanced frontal airbag system .............. 1-43
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag .............. 1-53
SRS airbag system monitors ............................. .... 1-59
SRS airbag system servicing ............................ .... 1-60
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-61

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-3
– CONTINUED –„ Manual seatT Fore and aft adjustment Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position. Then release the le-
ver and move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked into
place.
T Reclining the seatback
Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the
seatback to the desired position. Then re-
lease the lever and make sure the seat is
securely locked into place.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 re-
strained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precau-
tions concerning child restraint sys-
tems, see the “Child restraint sys-
tems” section in this chapter.
100244 100085To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright posi tion while the ve-
hicle is in motion. Also, do not place
objects such as cushions between
the passenger and the seatback. 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 inter-
nal injury or death.
100245

1-4 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
The seatback placed in a reclined position
can spring back upward with force when
released. When operating the reclining le-
ver to return the seatback, hol d it lightly so
that it may be raised back gradually.
T Seat cushion height adjustment
(driver’s seat)
The height of the s eat can be adjusted by
moving the seat cush ion adjustment lever
up and down.
When the lever is pushed down, the seat
is lowered.
When the lever is pulled up, the seat rises. „ Power seat (if equipped) T Fore and aft adjustment
To adjust the seat forward or backward,
move the control switch forward or back-
ward.
NOTE During backward-f orward adjustment
of the seat, you cannot adjust the seat
cushion angle or seat height. „ Reclining the seatback
100246 100247
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the ve-
hicle is in motion. Also, do not place
objects such as cushions between
the passenger and the seatback. 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 inter-
nal injury or death. 100085

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-5
– CONTINUED –To adjust the angle of the seatback, move
the control switch.
T Seat cushion angle adjustment
(Driver’s seat only)
To adjust the seat cushion angle, pull up or push down the front end of the control
switch.
T Seat height adjustment (Driver’s
seat only)
To adjust the seat height, pull up or push
down the rear end of the control switch. „ Head restraint adjustment
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.100250
100248 100249
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. 200282

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-7
– CONTINUED –Seat heater (if equipped)
The seat heater operates when the igni-
tion switch is either in the “ACC” or “ON”
position.
Each seat heater has four levels of adjust-
ment. To use the heater in the right-hand
seat, turn the “R” adjustment knob forward
until the “ ” mark reaches the desired
position. To activate the heater in the left-
hand seat, turn the “L” adjustment knob
forward until the “ ” mark reaches the
desired position. Each heater warms the
seat most quickly with the “ ” mark on
the adjustment knob in the furthest-for-
ward position. An indicator light on the ad-
justment knob for each seat heater comes
on when that seat heater is activated. When the vehicle’s interior is warmed
enough or before you leave the vehicle,
be sure to turn the switch off.
NOTE Use of the seat heater for a long period
of time while the en gine is not running
can cause battery discharge. Rear seats100661
y There is a possibility that people
with delicate skin may suffer
slight burns even at low tempera-
tures if they use the seat heater
for a long period of time. When us-
ing 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. 100253

1-8 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
„ Folding down the rear seat –
Station wagon
Unlock the seatback by pushing the re-
lease button and then fold the seatback
down.
To return the seatback to its original posi-
tion, raise the seatback until it locks into
place and make sure that it is securely
locked.
„ Head restraint adjustmentNever 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. 100094
y 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.
y Never allow passengers to ride on
the folded rear seatback or in the
cargo area. Doing so may result in
serious injury or death.
y 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 maneuver or a
rapid acceleration.
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. 200288

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-45
– CONTINUED –T Driver’s SRS frontal airbag
The driver’s SRS frontal airbag uses a
dual stage inflator. The inflator operates in
different ways depending on the severity
of impact, backward-forward adjustment
of the driver’s seat position and whether or
not he/she is wearing the seatbelt.
The backward-forward adjustment of the
driver’s seat position is monitored by the
driver’s seat position sensor under the driver’s seat.
Whether or not the driver is wearing the
seatbelt is monitored by the seatbelt buck-
le switch.
Observe the following precautions. Failure
to do so may cause the seatbelt buckle
switch and/or the seat position sensor to
malfunction, preventing the Subaru ad-
vanced frontal airbag system from func-
tioning correctly or causing the system to
fail.
y Do not place articles/metal objects or in-
stall any accessory other than a genuine
SUBARU accessory under the driver’s
seat. Do not allow the rear seat occupant
to kick the driver’s seat or push up its bot-
tom surface with his/her feet.
y Do not place a magnet near the seatbelt
buckle or under the driver’s seat.
If the seatbelt buckle switch and/or the
driver’s seat position sensor have failed,
the SRS airbag system warning light will il-
luminate. Although the driver’s SRS fron-
tal airbag can deploy regardless of the
backward-forward adjustment of the driv-
er’s seat position even when the warning
light is on, have th e system inspected by
your SUBARU dealer immediately if the
SRS airbag system warning light comes
on. NOTE The driver’s SRS si de airbag, SRS cur-
tain airbag and seatbelt pretensioner
are not controlled by the Subaru ad-
vanced frontal airbag system.
T Front passenger’s SRS frontal air-
bag
The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag
uses a dual stage inflator. The inflator op-
erates in different ways depending on the
severity of impact.
The total load on the seat is monitored by
the passenger’s occupant detection sys-
tem weight sensor under the seat.
The system has another sensor that mon-
itors the tension of the front passenger
seatbelt. Using the total seat load and
seatbelt tension data from the sensors,
the occupant detection system deter-
mines whether the front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbag should or should not be in-
flated.
The occupant detecti on system may not
inflate the front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag even when the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys. This is normal.
Observe the following precautions. Failure
to do so may prevent the Subaru ad-
vanced frontal airbag system from func-
tioning correctly or cause the system to
fail.Do not attach accessories to the
windshield, or fit an extra-wide mir-
ror over the rear vi ew mirror. If the
SRS airbag deploys, those objects
could become projectiles that could
seriously injure vehicle occupants. 100275

1-50 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
T Operation
1) Driver’s side
2) Passenger’s side
The SRS airbag can function only when
the ignition switch is in the “ON” position.
The Subaru advanced frontal airbag sys- tem is designed to determine the activa-
tion or deactivation condition of the front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbag depend-
ing on the total load on the front passen-
ger’s seat monitored by the front passen-
ger’s occupant detection system weight
sensor. For this reason, only the driver’s
SRS frontal airbag may deploy in the
event of a collision, but this does not mean
failure of the system.
If the front sub sensors inside both front
fenders and the impact sensors in the air-
bag control module detect a predeter-
mined amount of force during a frontal col-
lision, the control module sends signals to
the airbag module(s) (only driver’s module
or both driver’s and front passenger’s
modules) instructing the module(s) to in-
flate the SRS frontal airbag(s). The driv-
er’s and front passenger’s SRS frontal air-
bags use dual stage inflators. The two in-
flators of each airbag are triggered either
sequentially or simultaneously, depending
on the severity of impact, backward-for-
ward adjustment of the driver’s seat posi-
tion and fastening/unfas tening of the seat-
belt in the case of the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag and depending on the severity of
impact and the total load on the seat in the
case of the front passenger’s SRS frontal
airbag. After deployment, the SRS airbag
immediately starts to deflate so that the driver’s vision is not obstructed. The time
required from detecting impact to the de-
flation of the SRS airbag after deployment
is shorter than the blink of an eye.
Both when only the driver’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys and the driver’s and front
passenger’s SRS frontal airbags deploy,
the driver’s and front passenger’s seatbelt
pretensioners operate at the same time.
Although it is highly unlikely that the SRS
airbag would activate in a non-accident
situation, should it occur, the SRS airbag
will deflate quickly, not obscuring vision
and will not interfere with the driver’s abil-
ity to maintain control of the vehicle.
When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden,
fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and
some smoke will be released. These oc-
currences are a normal result of the de-
ployment. This smoke does not indicate a
fire in the vehicle.1
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