2007 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX Owners Manual

1-8Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Rear windows side seating position
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sittingheight.
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
closest to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
When the seats are not occupied, lower the head restraints to improve rearward
visibility. !
Rear center seating position
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the l owest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sittingheight.
To raise the head restraint, pull it up while
pressing the release button on the top of
the seatback.
To lower it, push the head restraint down
while pressing the release button.
When the rear-center seating position is occupied, raise the head restraint to an
appropriate position depending on your
sitting height. When the rear center seat-
ing position is not occupied, lower the
head restraint to improve rearward visibi-
lity. &
Folding down the rear seat- back –Wagon
WARNING
. After returning the rear seatback
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.
. Never allow passengers to ride
on the folded rear seatback or in
the cargo area. Doing so may
result in serious injury or death.
. Secure lengthy items properly to
prevent them from shooting for-
ward and causing serious injury
during a sudden stop.

1. Lower the head restraints.
2. Unlock the seatback by pulling the
release knob and then fold the seatbackdown.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locksinto place and make sure that it is securelylocked.
Seatbelts &
Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-dent.
. All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
. Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or morepersons –even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
. Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious.
. Put children aged 12 and under inSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-9
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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.

&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. & 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“ Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode ”intended to secure a child restraint
system. When the seatbelt is once drawn
out completely and is then retracted even
slightly, the retractor locks the seatbelt in
that position and the seatbelt cannot be
extended. As the belt is rewinding, clicks
will be heard which indicate the retractor
functions as an ALR. When the seatbelt is
retracted 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
retracts fully and the retractor returned to
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mode.
For instructions on how to convert the
retractor 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
required by current safety standards.
There is a seatbelt warning light in the
combination meter.
If the driver has not yet fastened the
seatbelt 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 remain
lit for 15 seconds. If the driver ’s seatbelt is
still not fastened even 15 seconds later
(21 seconds after turning ON the ignition
switch), the warning lights will alternate between flashing and steady illumination
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 . If the driver unfastens the seatbelt
after fastening, the seatbelt warning
device operates as follows according
to the vehicle speed.
.At speeds lower than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate
between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals. The
chime will not sound. . At speeds higher than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate
between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals and
the chime will sound while the
warning light is flashing.
. 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 the warning Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-11
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1-12Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
operation resumes. For further details
about canceling the warning operation,
please contact your SUBARU dealer. &Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
. Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
. Keep the lap belt as low as
possible on your hips. In a colli-
sion, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones
instead of across the weakerabdomen.
. 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 upright posi-
tion while the vehicle is running.
If the front seatbacks are not
used in the upright 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.
. 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 abdomen
will increase, and both can result
in serious internal injury ordeath.
WARNING
Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an
accident occurs, this can increase
the risk or severity of injury.
CAUTION
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can
become very hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weath-
er; they could burn an occupant. Do
not touch such hot parts until theycool.
! Front seatbelts
1. Adjust the seat position: Driver ’s seat: Adjust the seatback to the
upright position. Move the seat as far from
the steering wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control.
Front passenger ’s seat: Adjust the seat-
back to the upright position. Move the seat
as far back as possible.
2. Sit well back in the seat.
3. 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 it a
strong pull, then pull it out slowly again.
4. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull up onthe shoulder belt.
6. Place the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips, not on your waist. !
Adjusting the front seat shoulder
belt anchor height
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for the
driver/front passenger.
To lower the anchor height, push the
release button and slide the anchor down.
To raise the anchor height, slide the
anchor up. Pull down on the anchor to
make sure that it is locked in place.
Always adjust the anchor height so that
the shoulder belt passes over the middle
of the shoulder without touching the neck.
WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make
sure the shoulder portion of the
webbing does not pass over your
neck. If it does, adjust the seatbelt
anchor to a lower position. Placing
the shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sudden
braking or in a collision.
! Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-13
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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.

WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make
sure the shoulder portion of the
webbing does not pass over your
neck. If it does, adjust the seatbelt
anchor to a lower position. Placing
the shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sudden
braking or in a collision.
! Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door. !
Rear center seatbelt on Wagon
1) Center seatbelt tongue plate
2) Connector (tongue)
3) Connector (buckle)
4) Center seatbelt buckle
WARNING
Fastening the seatbelt with the web-
bing twisted can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
When fastening the belt after it is
pulled out from the retractor, espe-
cially when inserting the connec-tor ’s tongue plate into the mating
buckle (on right-hand side), always
check that the webbing is nottwisted.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 1-15
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