Page 35 of 364

1-10Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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 children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from
deployment is greater. For that
reason, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those
that have outgrown child re-
straint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all
times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is
appropriate for the child ’s height
and weight.
Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) 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 THECHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. For instructions
and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, see the“
Child restraint systems ”section
in this chapter.
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 and side airbags deploy. ! Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. See informationon “Child restraint systems ”in this chap-
ter. ! Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts.
According 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
provide 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 thechild
’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.
! 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.
Page 39 of 364

1-14Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
! Rear seatbelts (except rear center
seatbelt on Wagon)
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted. If
the belt stops before reaching the buckle,
return the belt slightly and pull it out more
slowly. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving a
strong pull on it, then pull it out slowlyagain.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
4. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
5. Place the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips, not on your waist. !
Adjusting the rear seat shoulder belt
anchor height (window-side seating
positions only)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the best position for the
passenger. To adjust the anchor height,
push the release button and slide the
anchor up or down. Pull down on the
anchor to make sure that it is locked inplace.
Always adjust the anchor height so that
the shoulder belt passes over the middle
of the shoulder without touching the neck.
Page 49 of 364

1-24Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
A: Front passenger ’s seat
You should not install a child restraint
system (including a booster seat) due to
the hazard to children posed by thepassenger ’s airbag.
B: Rear seat, window-side seatingpositions
Recommended positions for all types of
child restraint systems.
In these positions, Automatic/Emergency
Locking Retractor (A/ELR) seatbelts and
lower anchorages (bars) are provided for
installing a child restraint system.
Some types of child restraints might not be
able to be secured firmly due to projection
of the seat cushion.
In this seating position, you should use
only a child restraint system that has a
bottom base that fits snugly against the
contours of the seat cushion and can be
securely retained using the seatbelt.
C: Rear seat, center seating position
Installing a child restraint system is not
recommended, although the A/ELR seat-
belt and an upper anchorage (tether
anchorage) are provided in this position.
Some types of child restraints might not be
able to be secured firmly due to projection
of the seat cushion.
In this seating position, you should use only a child restraint system that has a
bottom base that fits snugly against the
contours of the seat cushion and can be
securely retained using the seatbelt.
If it is unavoidable to install a child
restraint system in the rear seat
’s center
seating position, lower the center head
restraint to the lowest position and install
the child restraint system by correctly
passing the rear center seatbelt through
the belt guide.
WARNING
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.
For that reason, be sure to secure
ALL types of child restraint devices
(including forward facing child
seats) in the REAR seats at all times.
You should choose a restraint de-
vice which is appropriate for thechild ’s age, height and weight. Ac- cording to accident statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi-tions.
WARNING
SINCE YOUR VEHICLE IS
EQUIPPED WITH A PASSENGER ’S
SRS AIRBAG, NEVER INSTALL A
REARWARD FACING CHILD
SAFETY SEAT IN THE FRONT PAS-SENGER ’S SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG.
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1-30Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
restraint system in your vehicle.
Unsecured child restraint sys-
tems can be thrown around in-
side of the vehicle in a sudden
stop, turn or accident; they can
strike and injure vehicle occu-
pants as well as result in serious
injuries or death to the child.
CAUTION
When you install a child restraint
system, follow the manufacturer ’s
instructions supplied with it. After
installing the child restraint system,
check to ensure that it is held
securely in position. If it is not held
tight and secure, the danger of your
child suffering personal injury in the
event of an accident may be in-creased.
Some types of child restraint systems can
be installed on the rear seat of your
vehicle without use of the seatbelts. Such
child restraint systems are secured to the
designated anchorages provided on the
vehicle body. The lower and tether an-
chorages are sometimes referred to as the
LATCH system ( Lower Anchors and
T ethers for CHildren).
Your vehicle is equipped with four lower
anchorages (bars) and three upper an-
chorages (tether anchorages) for accom-
modating such child restraint systems.The lower anchorages (bars) are used for
installing a child restraint system only on
the rear seat window-side seating posi-
tions. For each window-side seating posi-
tion, two lower anchorages are provided.
Each lower anchorage is located where
the seat cushion meets the seatback.
Page 56 of 364
The tether anchorages (upper an-
chorages) are provided for all the seating
positions (center and both window-side
ones) of the rear seat.
You will find marks“”at the bottom of
the rear seat seatbacks. These marks indicate the positions of the lower an-
chorages (bars).
Each lower anchorage is located where
the seat cushion meets the seatback.
1. Use the
“
”marks to locate the two
lower anchorages (bars) for the position
where you want to install the child restraint system.
2. While following the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint system manu-
facturer, connect the lower hooks onto the
lower anchorages located at “
”marks on
the bottom of the rear seatback. When the
hooks are connected, make sure the
adjacent seatbelts are not caught. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-31
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Page 58 of 364
!Anchorage location
! Sedan
1) For left seat
2) For center seat
3) For right seat
Three upper anchorages are installed on the rear shelf behind the rear seat. !
Wagon1) For left seat
2) For center seat
3) For right seat
There is an anchorage for the center seating position at the rear edge of the
roof, and anchorages for each of the two
window-side seating positions on the rear
wall of the cargo area. !
To hook the top tether
! Sedan
1. Attach the child restraint top tether
hook to the appropriate upper anchorage.
2. Tighten the top tether securely.
Please contact your SUBARU dealer if
you have any question regarding the
installation of a child restraint system. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-33
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Page 59 of 364
1-34Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Wagon
1. Remove the headrest at the window-
side seating position where the child
restraint system has been installed with
the lower anchorages or seatbelt; lift up
the headrest while pressing the release
button. Store the headrest in the cargo
area. Avoid placing the headrest in the
passenger compartment to prevent it from
being thrown around in the passenger
compartment in a sudden stop or a sharpturn.
2. (For both window-side seating posi-
tions) Remove the cap from the anchor
fitting cover.
Center
Window-side
3. Attach the child restraint top tether
hook to the appropriate upper anchorage.
4. Tighten the top tether securely.
Please contact your SUBARU dealer if
you have any question regarding the
installation of a child restraint system.
CAUTION
Always remove the headrest when
mounting a child restraint system
with a top tether. Otherwise, the top
tether cannot be fastened tightly.
Page 76 of 364
WARNING
Do not rest your arm on either front
door or its internal trim. It could be
injured in the event of SRS side
airbag deployment.
WARNING
Never allow a child to kneel on the
front passenger ’s seat facing the
side window or to wrap his/her arms
around the front seat seatback. In the event of an accident, the force of
the SRS side airbag deployment
could injure the child seriously
because his/her head or arms or
other parts of the body are too close
to the SRS side airbag. Since your
vehicle is also equipped with apassenger
’s SRS frontal airbag,
children aged 12 and under should
be placed in the rear seat anyway
and should be properly restrained at
all times.WARNING
Do not attach accessories to the
door trim or near either SRS side
airbags and do not place objects
near the SRS side airbags. In the Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-51
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