2006 SUBARU OUTBACK ECU

8
driving. In a collision or sudden stop, unre-
strained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for
their own safety that pets should be prop-
erly restrained in your vehicle. Restrain a
pet with a special traveling harness which
can be secured to the rear seat with a
seatbelt or use a pet carrier which can be
secured to the rear seat by routing a seat-
belt through the carrier’s handle. Never re-
strain pets or pet ca rriers in the front pas-
senger’s seat. For further information,
consult your veterinarian, local animal
protection society or pet shop.
„ Tire pressures
Check and, if necessa ry, adjust the pres- sure of each tire (including the spare) at
least once a month and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are
cold.
Use a pressure gauge to adjust the tire
pressures to the values shown on the tire
placard.
Refer to the “Tires and wheels” section in
chapter 11 for detailed information.
„ California proposition 65
warning
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of vehi-
cle control could lead to an acci-
dent. Engine exhaust, some of its constit-
uents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause can-
cer and birth defects or other repro-
ductive harm.

19
– CONTINUED –„ Warning and indicator light Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-14
Front passenger’s
seatbelt warning light 3-14
SRS airbag system
warning light 3-16
CHECK ENGINE
warning light/Malfunc-
tion indicator lamp 3-17
Charge warning light 3-18
Oil pressure warning
light 3-18
AT OIL temperature
warning light (if
equipped) 3-18
or
ABS warning light 3-20
or
Brake system warning
light 3-20
Door open warning
light 3-22 Low fuel warning light 3-21
All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (if equipped) 3-22
Vehicle Dynamics
Control operation indi-
cator light (if equipped) 3-22
Vehicle Dynamics
Control warning light/
Vehicle Dynamics
Control OFF indicator
light (if equipped) 3-22
Security indicator light 3-23
Turn signal indicator
lights 3-24
High beam indicator
light 3-25
Cruise control indica-
tor light (if equipped) 3-25
Cruise control set indi-
cator light (if equipped) 3-25
Light indicator light 3-25Mark Name Page
Low tire pressure
warning light (if
equipped) 3-18
or Passenger airbag ON
indicator light 3-17
or Passenger airbag OFF
indicator light 3-17
SPORT mode indica-
tor light (if equipped) 3-24Mark Name Page

1-2 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats y Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of loss
of vehicle control and of personal
injury.
y Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers are clear of the
adjusting mechanism.
y Seatbelts 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 uprigh t 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. y The 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.
100082Put 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.

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

1-8 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
1-11
– CONTINUED –Seatbelts „ Seatbelt safety tipsy Secure long objects properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop or sharp
cornering. Tie long objects down
with a rope or something equiva-
lent.
y Avoid loading objects longer than
6.6 ft (2 m) and heavier than 55 lbs
(25 kg). Such objects can interfere
with the driver’s proper operation
of the vehicle, possibly causing
an accident and serious injury.
200293y 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.
y All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full re straint. Loose fit-
ting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
y Each 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.
y Replace 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. y Put 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.

1-12 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt(s) by the
driver and front passenger when any of
the SRS frontal, side and curtain 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” section 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-
cording to accident st atistics, 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 shou ld 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.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. 100100

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-13
– CONTINUED –„ 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 se atbelt 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 ALR. When the seatbelt is retract-
ed fully, ALR mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on
the passengers’ seats, the seatbelt must
be changed over to the Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) mode.
When the child rest raint system is re-
moved, make sure that the retractor is re-
stored to the Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ELR) function by allowing the seatbelt
to retract fully.
For instructions on how to convert the re-
tractor to the ALR mode and restore it to
the ELR mode, see the “Child restraint
systems” section in this chapter. „ 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.
Driver’s warning light Front passenger’s warning light
T Operation
If the driver and/or front passenger have/
has not yet fastened the seatbelt(s) when
the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” po-
sition, the seatbelt warning light(s) will
flash for 6 seconds, to warn that the seat-
belt(s) is/are unfastened. If the driver’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a chime will also
sound simultaneously.
If the driver’s and/or front passenger’s
seatbelt(s) are/is still not fastened 6 sec-
onds later, both warning lights or the
warning light for t he unfastened seatbelt
will remain lit for 15 seconds. If the driver’s
and/or front passenger’s seatbelt(s) are/is
still not fastened even 15 seconds later
(21 seconds after turning ON the ignition 100254 100662