2007 SUBARU FORESTER ECU

7
– CONTINUED –
have a medical condition that requires you
to take drugs, please consult with your
doctor.
Never drive if you are under the influence
of any illicit mind-altering drugs. For your
own health and well-being, we urge you
not to take illegal drugs in the first place
and to seek treatment if you are addicted
to those drugs. „
Driving when tired or sleepy
Please do not continue to drive but in-
stead find a safe place to rest if you are
tired or sleepy. On long trips, you should
make periodic rest stops to refresh your-
self before continuing on your journey.
When possible, you should share the driv-
ing with others. „
Modification of your vehicle
„Car phone/cell phone and
driving
„ Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
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 carriers 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 necessary, 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
When you are tired or sleepy, your
reaction will be delayed and your
perception, judgment and attentive-
ness will be impaired. If you drive
when tired or sleepy, your, your pas-
sengers’ and other persons’ chanc-
es of being involved in a serious ac-
cident may increase.
Your vehicle should not be modified
other than with genuine Subaru
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its per-
formance, safety or durability, and
may even violate governmental reg-
ulations. In addition, damage or per-
formance problems resulting from
modification may not be covered
under warranties.
Do not use a car phone/cell phone
while driving; it may distract your at-
tention from driving and can lead to
an accident. If you use a car phone/
cell phone, pull off the road and park
in a safe place before using your
phone. In some States/Provinces,
only hands-free phones may legally
be used while driving.

24
TWarning and indicator light
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-9
SRS airbag system
warning light 3-10
or Front passenger’s
frontal airbag ON indi-
cator light
3-11
or Front passenger’s
frontal airbag OFF in-
dicator light
3-11
CHECK ENGINE
warning light/Malfunc-
tion indicator lamp 3-11
Charge warning light 3-12
Oil pressure warning light 3-12
AT OIL temperature
warning light (AT vehi-cles) 3-12
or ABS warning light 3-13
or Brake system warning light 3-13
Door open warning light 3-14
All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (AT vehicles) 3-15
Low fuel warning light 3-14
Turn signal indicator
lights 3-15
High beam indicator light 3-15
Security indicator light
(if equipped) 2-3
Cruise control indica-
tor light (if equipped) 3-15
Cruise control set indi-
cator light (if equipped) 3-16
Mark Name Page

1-2 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Sea t, s eatbelt and SRS airb agsFront seats
yNever 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.
100082
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.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-3
– CONTINUED –
„
Manual seat
T 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-
back is securely locked into place.
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, hold it lightly so
that it may be raised back gradually.
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.
100595
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
100596

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-9
ity. „Folding down the rear seat- back
1. Lower the head restraints.
2. Unlock the seatback by pulling the re-
lease knob 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.
y
After 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.
100095
100096

1-10 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Armrest (if equipped)
To lower the armrest, pull on the top edge
of the armrest.Seatbelts „Seatbelt safety tips
To avoid the possibility of serious
injury, passengers must never be al-
lowed to sit on the center armrest
while the vehicle is in motion.
100602
yAll 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.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-11
– CONTINUED –
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- 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.
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 TOTHE 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

1-12 Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
„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 systems” section in this chapter.
„ Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt
warning device at the driver’s seat, as re-
quired by current safety standards. There
is a seatbelt warning light in the combina-
tion meter.
If the driver has not yet fastened the seat-
belt when the ignition switch is turned to
the “ON” position, the seatbelt warning
light will flash for 6 seconds, to warn that
the seatbelt is unfastened. If the driver’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a chime will also
sound simultaneously.
If the driver’s seatbelt is still not fastened
6 seconds later, the warning light will re-
main lit for 15 seconds. If the driver’s seat-
belt is still not fastened even 15 seconds
later (21 seconds after turning ON the ig-
nition switch), the warning lights will alter-
nate between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals, and the
chime will sound while the warning light is
flashing.
Alternate flashing and steady illumination
of the warning lights and sounding of the
chime will continue until the driver fastens
the seatbelt.NOTE y If the driver unfastens the seatbelt af-
ter fastening, the seatbelt warning de-
vice operates as follows according to
the vehicle speed. y At speeds lower than approximate-
ly 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate be-
tween flashing and steady illumina-
tion at 15-second intervals. The
chime will not sound. y At speeds higher than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate be-
tween flashing and steady illumina-
tion at 15-second intervals and the
chime will sound while the warning
light is flashing.
y It is possible to cancel the warning
operation that follows the 6-second
warning after turning ON the ignition
switch. When the ignition switch is
turned ON next time, however, the
complete sequence of warning opera-
tion resumes. For further details about
canceling the warning operation,
please contact your SUBARU dealer.