
&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 ALR. When the seatbelt is
retracted 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 restraint system is re-
moved, make sure that the retractor is
restored to the Emergency Locking Re-
tractor (ELR) function by allowing the
seatbelt to retract fully.
For instructions on how to convert the
retractor to the ALR mode and restore it to
the ELR mode, refer to the
“Installing child
restraint systems with A/ELR seatbelt ”
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.
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
illustrations and sounding a chime.
Driver ’s warning lightFront passenger ’s warning light! Operation
If the driver and/or front passenger have/
has not yet fastened the seatbelt(s) when
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-17
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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 slowly
again.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 shoulder belt anchor
height (rear seats of 5-seater mod-
els/second-row seats of 7-seater
models)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for
you. 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 theSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-30
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Precautions against vehicle
modificationAlways consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
. Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner ’s
Manual.
Child restraint systemsWhile riding in the vehicle, infants and
small children should always be placed in
an infant or child restraint system in one of
the rear seating positions recommended
in this Owner ’s Manual. You should use
an infant or child restraint system that
meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards or Canada Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards, is compatible with your vehicle
and is appropriate for the child ’s age and
size. All child restraint systems are de-
signed to be secured in vehicle seats by
lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap/
shoulder belt (except those covered under
the section in this manual, entitled “In-
stallation of child restraint systems by use
of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH)
”).
Children could be endangered in an
accident if their child restraints are not
properly secured in the vehicle. When
installing the child restraint system, care-
fully follow the manufacturer ’s instructions.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
system at all times while the vehicle is
moving.
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WARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child
on his or her lap while the vehicle is
moving. The passenger cannot pro-
tect the child from injury in a colli-
sion, because the child will be
caught between the passenger and
objects inside the vehicle. Addition-
ally, holding a child in your lap or
arms in the front seat exposes that
child to another serious danger.
Since the SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force, the
child could be injured or even killed.
WARNING
Children should be properly re-
strained at all times. Never allow a
child to stand up, or to kneel on any
seat. Unrestrained children will be
thrown forward during sudden stop
or in an accident and can be injured
seriously.
Additionally, children standing up or
kneeling on or in front of the front
seat are exposed another serious
danger. Since the SRS airbag de-
ploys with considerable speed and
force, the child could be injured or
even killed.&Where to place a child re-
straint systemThe following are SUBARU ’s recommen-
dations on where to place a child restraint
system in your vehicle.
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 the
passenger ’s airbag.
B: Rear outboard seats (5-seater mod-
els)/second-row outboard seats (7-sea-
ter models)
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
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1-32
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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 center seat (5-seater models)/
second-row center seat (7-seater mod-
els)
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.
D: Third-row seat (7-seater models)
Installing a child restraint system is not
recommended, although the A/ELR seat-
belt and two upper anchorages (tether
anchorages) are provided in these posi-
tions.
These seating positions are not equipped
with lower anchorages (bars) for installing
LATCH system-type child restraints. How-
ever, child restraint devices can be used in
these position using the A/ELR seatbelts
and upper anchorages (tether an-chorages) provided.
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.
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.
Consequently, 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 the
child
’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, DO NOT 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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1-38
Seat, 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 in a rear seating position of
your vehicle without use of the seatbelts.
Such child restraint systems are secured
to the dedicated anchorages provided on
the vehicle body.
The lower and tether anchorages are
sometimes referred to as the LATCH
system (L owerAnchors and Tethers for
CH ildren).
Your vehicle is provided with child restraint
system anchors as follows:
.Four lower anchorages (bars) and
three upper anchorages (tether an-
chorages) on the rear seat (5-seater
model)/second-row seat (7-seater model)
Lower anchorages for child restraints are
provided in the following locations:
. 5-seater models: on the rear seats
. 7-seater models: on the second-row
seats
For each window-side seating position,
two lower anchorages are provided.
Each lower anchorage is located where
the seat cushion meets the seatback.The tether anchorages (upper an-
chorages) are provided for all the seating
positions of the rear seat (5-seater mod-
els)/second-row seat (7-seater models).
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1-40
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
4. [If your child restraint system is of a
flexible attachment type (which uses
tether belts to connect the child restraint
system properly to the lower anchorages)]
While pushing the child restraint into the
seat cushion, pull both left and right lower
tether belts up to secure the child restraint
system firmly by taking up the slack in the
belt.
5. Connect the top tether hook to the
tether anchorage and firmly tighten the
tether.
For information on how to set the top
tether, Refer to the following“Top tether
anchorages ”section.
6. Before seating a child in the child
restraint system, try to move seat back
and forth and left and right to verify that it
is held securely in position.
7. To remove the child restraint system,
follow the reverse procedures of installa-
tion.
If you have any question concerning this
type of child restraint system, ask your
SUBARU dealer.& Top tether anchoragesYour vehicle is equipped with three top
tether anchorages (five in the 7-seater
models) so that a child restraint system
having a top tether can be installed in a
rear seating position. When installing a
child restraint system using top tether,
proceed as follows, while observing the instructions by the child restraint system
manufacturer.
Since a top tether can provide additional
stability by offering another connection
between a child restraint system and the
vehicle, we recommend that you use a top
tether whenever one is required or avail-
able.
!
Tether anchorage location
! Rear seat (5-seater models)/Second-
row seat (7-seater models)
Three tether anchorages, i.e., ones for the
right, center and left seats, are already
installed on the back of each seatback.
Open the cover flap to use each ancho-
rage.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
*SRS airbag (Supplemental
Restraint System airbag)*SRS: This stands for supplemental re-
straint system. This name is used be-
cause the airbag system supplements the
vehicle’s seatbelts.
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
deploy.& Your vehicle ’s SRS config-
urationThe driver ’s seat, the front passenger ’s
seat, and the outboard seats of the rear/
second seating row of your vehicle are
each provided with, in addition to a lap/
shoulder belt, one or more airbags as
follows:
. Frontal airbag (one each for driver ’s
seat and front passenger ’s seat)
. Side airbag (one each for driver ’s seat
and front passenger ’s seat)
. Curtain airbag (one each for the out-
board sides of cabin, extending from
driver ’s and front passenger ’s seats to
rear/second seating row) These SRS airbags are designed only
as a supplement to the primary protec-
tion provided by the seatbelt.
The system also controls front seatbelt
pretensioners. For operation instructions
and precautions concerning the seatbelt
pretensioner, refer to the
“Front seatbelt
pretensioners ”section in this chapter.
WARNING
. To obtain maximum protection in
the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers in the
vehicle should always wear seat-
belts when the vehicle is moving.
The SRS airbag is designed only
as a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seat-
belt. It does not do away with the
need to fasten seatbelts. In com-
bination with the seatbelts, it
offers the best combined protec-
tion in case of a serious accident.
Not wearing a seatbelt increases
the chance of severe injury or
death in a crash even when the
vehicle has the SRS airbag.
For instructions and precautions
concerning the seatbelt system,
refer to the “Seatbelts ”section in
this chapter. .
Do not sit or lean unnecessarily
close to the SRS airbag. Because
the SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed –faster than
the blink of an eye –and force to
protect in high speed collisions,
the force of an airbag can injure
an occupant whose body is too
close to SRS airbag.
It is also important to wear your
seatbelt to help avoid injuries
that can result when the SRS
airbag contacts an occupant not
in proper position such as one
thrown forward during pre-acci-
dent braking.
Even when properly positioned,
there remains a possibility that
an occupant may suffer minor
injury such as abrasions and
bruises to the face or arms
because of the SRS airbag de-
ployment force.
. The SRS airbags deploy with
considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper
position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious
injuries. Because the SRS airbag
needs enough space for deploy-
ment, the driver should always
sit upright and well back in the
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