2006 SUBARU OUTBACK airbag

1-58 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
V Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS side airbag and SRS cur-
tain airbag are unlikely to deploy. 1 2
3 4
5
1006581) The vehicle is involved in an oblique
side-on impact.
2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact in an area outside the vicinity
of the passenger compartment.
3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole
or similar object.
4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on
impact from a motorcycle.
5) The vehicle rolls onto its side or roof.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require SRS side
airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy-
ment. In the event of accidents like those
illustrated, the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag may not deploy depending
on the level of accident forces involved.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-59
– CONTINUED –V Examples of the types of accidents
in which the SRS side airbag and
SRS curtain airbag will basically not
deploy.
1) The vehicle is involved in frontal collision
with another vehicle (moving or station- ary).
2) The vehicle is struck from behind.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain air-
bag are basically not designed to deploy if
the vehicle is involved in a frontal collision
or is struck from behind. Examples of such
accidents are illustrated.
1) First impact
2) Second impact
A) SRS curtain airbag
B) SRS side airbag
In an accident where the vehicle is struck
from the side more than once, the SRS
side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy
only once on the first impact.
Example: In the case of a double side im-
pact collision, first with one vehicle and immediately followed by another from the
same direction, once the SRS side airbag
and SRS curtain airbag are activated on
the first impact, they will not be activated
on the second.
„ SRS airbag system monitors
A diagnostic system continually monitors
the readiness of the SRS airbag system
(including front seatbelt pretensioners)
while the vehicle is being driven. The SRS
airbag system warning light “AIRBAG” will
show normal system operation by lighting
for approximately 6 seconds when the ig-
nition switch is turned to the “ON” position.
The following components are monitored
by the indicator:
y Front sub sensor (Right-hand side)1
2
100659 1AB
2 100660
200326

1-60 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
y Front sub sensor (Left-hand side)
y Airbag control module (including impact
sensors)
y Frontal airbag module (Driver’s side)
y Frontal airbag module (Front passen-
ger’s side)
y Side airbag sensor (Center pillar right-
hand side)
y Side airbag sensor (Center pillar left-
hand side)
y Side airbag module (Driver’s side)
y Side airbag module (Front passenger’s
side)
y Curtain airbag sensor (Rear wheel
house right-hand side)
y Curtain airbag sensor (Rear wheel
house left-hand side)
y Curtain airbag module (Right side)
y Curtain airbag module (Left side)
y Seatbelt pretensioner (Driver’s side)
y Seatbelt pretensi oner (Front passen-
ger’s side)
y Seatbelt buckle switch (Driver’s side)
y Seatbelt buckle switch (Front passen-
ger’s side)
y Driver’s seat position sensor
y Front passenger’s seatbelt tension sen-
sor
y Front passenger’s occupant detection
system weight sensor
y Front passenger’s occupant detection
control module y Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON
and OFF indicator
y All related wiring
„ SRS airbag system servicingIf the warning light exhibits any of
the following conditions, there may
be a malfunction in the seatbelt pre-
tensioners and/or SRS airbag sys-
tem. Immediately take your vehicle
to your nearest SUBARU dealer to
have the system checked. Unless
checked and properly repaired, the
seatbelt pretensioners and/or SRS
airbags will operate improperly (e.g.
SRS airbags may inflate in a very mi-
nor collision or not inflate in a se-
vere collision), which may increase
the risk of injury.
y Flashing or flickering of the warn-
ing light
y No illumination of the warning
light when the ignition switch is
first turned to the “ON” position
y Continuous illumination of the
warning light
y Illumination of the warning light
while driving y When discarding an airbag mod-
ule or scrapping the entire vehicle
damaged by a collision, consult
your SUBARU dealer.
y The SRS airbag has no user-ser-
viceable parts. Do not use electri-
cal test equipment on any circuit
related to the SRS airbag system.
For required servicing of the SRS
airbag, see your nearest SUBARU
dealer. Tampering with or discon-
necting the system’s wiring could
result in accidental inflation of the
SRS airbag or could make the sys-
tem inoperative, which may result
in serious injury. The wiring har-
nesses of the SRS airbag system
are covered with yellow insulation
and system connectors are yellow
for easy identification.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-61
– CONTINUED –In the event that the SRS airbag is de-
ployed, replacement of the system
should be performed only by an autho-
rized SUBARU dealer. When the com-
ponents of the SRS airbag system are
replaced, use only genuine SUBARU parts.
NOTE In the following cases, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible.
y The front part of the vehicle was in-
volved in an accident in which the only
the driver’s SRS frontal airbag or both
driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbags did not deploy.
y The pad of the steering wheel, the
cover over the front passenger’s SRS
frontal airbag, or either roof side (from
the front pillar to a point over the rear
seat) is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.
y Either center pillar and rear wheel
house or a nearby area of the vehicle
was involved in an accident in which
the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag did not deploy.
y The fabric or leather of either front
seatback is cut, frayed, or otherwise
damaged. „ Precautions against vehicle
modificationIf you need service or repair in areas
listed in the following, have an au-
thorized SUBARU dealer perform
the work. The SRS airbag control
module, impact sensors and airbag
modules are stored in these areas.
y Under the center console
y Inside each front fender
y Steering wheel and column and
nearby areas
y Top of the dashboard on front
passenger’s side and nearby ar-
eas
y Each front seat and nearby area
y Inside each center pillar
y In each roof side (from the front
pillar to a point over the rear seat)
y Between the rear seat cushion
and rear wheel house on each
side y To avoid accidental activation of
the system or rendering the sys-
tem inoperative, which may result
in serious injury, no modifications
should be made to any compo-
nents or wiring of the SRS airbag
system.
This includes following modifica-
tions:
y Installation of custom steering
wheels
y Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
y Installation of custom seats
y Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
y Installation of additional fabric
or leather on the front seat

1-62 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.y Attachment of a hands-free mi-
crophone or any other accesso-
ry to a front pillar , a center pillar,
a rear pillar, the windshield, a
side window, an assist grip, or
any other cabin surface that
would be near a deploying SRS
curtain airbag.
y Installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment such
as a mobile two-way radio on or
near the SRS airbag system
components and/or wiring is
not advisable. This could inter-
fere with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system.
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system.
y Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts.
y Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure. y Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle plac-
ard attached to the driver’s door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner’s
Manual.
y Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors,
etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.

3
Instruments and controlsIgnition switch .................................................... 3-3 LOCK ....................................................................... 3-3
ACC .......................................................................... 3-4
ON ............................................................................ 3-4
START ...................................................................... 3-4
Key reminder chime ............................................... 3-5
Ignition switch light ................................................ 3-5
Hazard warning flasher ...................................... 3-5
Meters and gauges (Tur bo models) ................. 3-5Combination meter illumination ............................ 3-5
Canceling the function for meter/gauge needle
movement and combination meter sequential
illumination upon turning on the ignition
switch .................................................................... 3-6
Speedometer ........................................................... 3-6
Odometer ................................................................. 3-7
Double trip meter .................................................... 3-7
Tachometer ............................................................. 3-8
Fuel gauge ............................................................... 3-8
Temperature gauge ................................................ 3-9
Meters and gauges (Non-turbo models) .......... 3-10 Combination meter illumination ............................ 3-10
Canceling the function for meter/gauge needle
movement upon turning on the ignition
switch .................................................................... 3-10
Speedometer ........................................................... 3-10
Odometer ................................................................. 3-11
Double trip meter .................................................... 3-11
Tachometer ............................................................. 3-12
Fuel gauge ............................................................... 3-12 Temperature gauge ................................................ 3-13
Warning and indicator lights ............................. 3-14 Seatbelt warning light and chime .......................... 3-14
SRS airbag system warning lig ht ............. ............. 3-16
Front passenger’s frontal airbag ON and OFF
indicators .............................................................. 3-17
CHECK ENGINE warning light/Malfunction
indicator lamp ....................................................... 3-17
Charge warning light .............................................. 3-18
Oil pressure warning light ..................................... 3-18
AT OIL TEMPerature warning light (AT
vehicles) ................................................................ 3-18
Low tire pressure warning light (if equipped) ...... 3-18
ABS warning light ................................................... 3-20
Brake system warning light ................................... 3-20
Low fuel warning light ............................................ 3-21
Door open warning light ........................................ 3-22
All-Wheel Drive warning light (AT vehicles) ......... 3-22
Vehicle Dynamics Contro l operation indicator
light (if equipped) ................................................. 3-22
Vehicle Dynamics Control warning light (if
equipped)/Vehicle Dynamics Control OFF
indicator light (if equipped) ................................. 3-22
Security indicator light ........................................... 3-23
SPORT mode indicator light (AT vehicles) ........... 3-24
Selector lever position indicator (AT vehicles) .... 3-24
Gear position indicator (AT vehicles) ................... 3-24
Turn signal indicator lights .................................... 3-24
High beam indicator light ....................................... 3-25
Cruise control indicator light ................................. 3-25

3-14 Instruments and controls
Warning and indicator lights Several of the warning and indicator lights
come on momentarily and then go out
when the ignition switch is initially turned
to the “ON” position. This permits check-
ing the operation of the bulbs.
Apply the parking brake and turn the igni-
tion switch to the “ON” position. The fol-
lowing lights come on:
: Seatbelt warning light
(The seatbelt warning light goes out only
when the driver fastens the seatbelt.)
: Front passenger’s seatbelt warning
light
(The seatbelt warning light goes out only
when the front seat passenger fastens the
seatbelt.)
: SRS airbag system warning light
: CHECK ENGINE warning light /
Malfunction indicator lamp
: Charge warning light
: Oil pressure warning light
: AT OIL temperature warning light
(AT vehicles) / : ABS warning light
: Vehicle Dynamics Control operation
indicator light (if equipped)
: Vehicle Dynamics Control warning
light (if equipped)/Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol OFF indicator light (if equipped)
/ : Brake system warning light
: AWD warning light (AT vehicles)
: Low tire pressure warning light (if
equipped)
: SPORT mode indicator light (AT
vehicles)
/ : Front passenger’s frontal airbag
ON indicator light
/ : Front passenger’s frontal airbag
OFF indicator light
: Low fuel warning light
: Door open warning light
: Cruise control indicator light (if equipped)
: Cruise control set indicator light (if
equipped)
If any lights fail to co me on, it indicates a
burned-out bulb or a malfunction of the
corresponding system.
Consult your authorized SUBARU dealer
for repair.
„ Seatbelt warning light
and chime Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt
warning device at the driver’s and front
passenger’s seat, as required by current
safety standards.
With the ignition switch turned to the “ON”
position, this device reminds the driver
and front passenger to fasten their seat-
belts by illuminating the warning lights in
the locations indicated in the following il-
lustration and sounding a chime.

3-16 Instruments and controls
the device to fail.
y Do not install any accessory such as a
table or TV onto the seatback.
y Do not store a heavy load in the seat-
back pocket.
y Do not allow the rear seat occupant to
place his/her hands or legs on the front
passenger’s seatback, or allow him/her to
pull the seatback.
y Do not use front seats with their back-
ward-forward position and seatback not
being locked into place securely. If any of
them are not locked securely, adjust them
again. For adjusting procedure, refer to
the “Manual seat” in the front seats sec-
tion in chapter 1 in this owner’s manual.
(Models equipped with manual seats only)
If the seatbelt warning device for the front
passenger’s seat does not function cor-
rectly (e.g., it is activated even when the
front passenger’s seat is empty or it is de-
activated even when the front passenger
has not fastened his/her seatbelt), take
the following actions.
y Ensure that no article is placed on the
seat other than a child restraint system
and its child occupant.
y Ensure that there is no article left in the
seatback pocket.
y Ensure that the backward-forward posi-
tion and seatback of front passenger’s
seat are locked into place securely by moving the seat back and forth. (Models
equipped with manual seats only)
If still the seatbelt warning device for front
passenger’s seat does not function cor-
rectly after taking re levant corrective ac-
tions described above, immediately con-
tact your SUBARU dealer for an inspec-
tion.
„ SRS airbag system
warning light When the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, t he SRS airbag system
warning light will come on for approxi-
mately seven seconds and go out. This
shows the SRS frontal airbag and SRS
side airbag and SRS curtain airbag and
seatbelt pretensioners are in normal oper-
ation. If the warning light exhibits any of
the following conditions, there may
be a malfunction in the seatbelt pre-
tensioners and/or SRS airbag sys-
tem. Immediately take your vehicle
to your nearest SUBARU dealer to
have the system checked. Unless
checked and properly repaired, the
seatbelt pretensioners and/or SRS
airbags will operate improperly (e.g.
SRS airbags may inflate in a very mi-
nor collision or not inflate in a se-
vere collision), which may increase
the risk of injury.
y Flashing or flickering of the warn-
ing light
y No illumination of the warning
light when the ignition switch is
first turned to the “ON” position
y Continuous illumination of the
warning light
y Illumination of the warning light
while driving