2009 SUBARU FORESTER warning

16 &Combination meter
! U.S.-spec. MT vehicles
1) Tachometer (page 3-7)
2) Speedometer (page 3-6)
3) Fuel gauge (page 3-8)
4) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter
reset knob (page 3-6)
5) Odometer/Trip meter (page 3-6)
6) Coolant temperature warning/indicator light (page 3-13)

!U.S.-spec. AT vehicles1) Tachometer (page 3-7)
2) Speedometer (page 3-6)
3) Fuel gauge (page 3-8)
4) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter
reset knob (page 3-6)
5) Odometer/Trip meter (page 3-6)
6) Selector lever and gear position indicator (AT vehicles) (page 3-20)
7) Coolant temperature warning/indicator light (page 3-13) 17
– CONTINUED –

18 !Canada-spec. MT vehicles
1) Tachometer (page 3-7)
2) Speedometer (page 3-6)
3) Fuel gauge (page 3-8)
4) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter
reset knob (page 3-6)
5) Odometer/Trip meter (page 3-6)
6) Coolant temperature warning/indicator light (page 3-13)

!Canada-spec. AT vehicles1) Tachometer (page 3-7)
2) Speedometer (page 3-6)
3) Fuel gauge (page 3-8)
4) Trip meter A/B selection and trip meter
reset knob (page 3-6)
5) Odometer/Trip meter (page 3-6)
6) Selector lever and gear position indicator (AT vehicles) (page 3-20)
7) Coolant temperature warning/indicator light (page 3-13) 19
– CONTINUED –

20
&Warning and indicator lights
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-9
Front passenger ’s seat-
belt warning light 3-9
SRS airbag system
warning light3-11
/Front passenger
’s fron-
tal airbag ON indicator 3-11
/Front passenger
’s fron-
tal airbag OFF indicator 3-11
CHECK ENGINE
warning light/Malfunction
indicator lamp3-12
Coolant temperature low
indicator light/Coolant
temperature high warn-
ing light3-13
Charge warning light 3-13
Oil pressure warning light
3-13
AT OIL TEMP warning
light (AT vehicles)
3-14Mark Name Page
/ABS warning light 3-15
/Brake system warning light
3-16
Door open warning light 3-17
All-Wheel Drive warning
light (AT vehicles)
3-17
Hill start assist warning
light (MT vehicles)
3-17
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol operation indicator light3-18
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol warning light/Vehicle
Dynamics Control OFF
indicator light3-18
Turn signal indicator lights
3-20
High beam indicator light 3-20
Front fog light indicator
light (if equipped)3-21
Security indicator light 3-19 Mark Name Page
Headlight indicator light 3-21
Cruise control indicator light
3-20
Cruise control set indi-
cator light
3-21
Low fuel warning light 3-17
Low tire pressure warn-
ing light (U.S.-spec. models)3-14
SPORT mode indicator
light (AT vehicles)
3-20

22
Function settings
A SUBARU dealer can change the settings of the functions shown in the following table to meet your personal requirements. Contact
the nearest SUBARU dealer for details. If your vehicle is equipped with a navigation system, the settings for some of these functions
can be changed using the monitor. For details, please refer to the Owner’s Manual supplement for the monitor.
Item Function Possible settings Default setting Page
Alarm system Alarm system Operation/Non-operation Operation 2-14 Monitoring start delay time (after closure
of doors) 0 second/30 seconds 30 seconds 2-15
Impact sensor operation (only vehicles
with shock sensors (dealer option)) Operation/Non-operation Non-operation 2-18
Passive arming Operation/Non-operation Non-operation 2-16
Dome light illumination ON/OFF OFF 2-14
Remote keyless entry sys- tem Hazard warning flasher Operation/Non-operation Operation 2-7
Audible signal Operation/Non-operation Operation 2-9
Key lock-in prevention Key lock-in prevention Operation/Non-operation Operation 2-6
Remote engine start system
(dealer option) Horn chirp confirmation ON/OFF ON 7-11
Rear window defogger Rear window defogger Operation for 15 minutes/Con- tinuous operationOperation for 15 minutes 3-31
Windshield wiper deicer (if
equipped) Windshield wiper deicer Operation for 15 minutes/Con-
tinuous operationOperation for 15 minutes 3-32
Map light/Dome light Operation in conjunction with remote keyless entry system OFF/Short/Normal/Long Normal 6-2
Battery drainage preventionfunction Battery drainage prevention function Operation/Non-operation Operation 2-5
Seatbelt warning Sounds a chime while driving Operation/Non-operation Operation 1-12

Front seats........................................................... 1-2
Manual seat ........................................................ 1-3
Power seat (driver ’s seat –if equipped) ... ............ 1-4
Head restraint adjustment .................................... 1-5
Active head restraint ........................................... 1-5
Seat heater (if equipped) .................................... 1-6
Rear seats ............................................................ 1-6
Armrest .............................................................. 1-7
Head restraint adjustment .................................... 1-7
Reclining the seatback (if equipped) .................... 1-9
Folding down the rear seatback ........................... 1-9
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-10
Seatbelt safety tips ............................................. 1-10
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) ................... 1-11
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ............................................................ 1-11
Seatbelt warning light and chime ........................ 1-12
Fastening the seatbelt ........................................ 1-13
Seatbelt maintenance ......................................... 1-19
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-19
System monitors ................................................ 1-20 System servicing
............................................... 1-21
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-22
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-22
Where to place a child restraint system .............. 1-23
Choosing a child restraint system ...................... 1-25
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR seatbelt ........................................................... 1-25
Installing a booster seat ..................................... 1-28
Installation of child restraint systems by use of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) .............. 1-29
Top tether anchorages ....................................... 1-32
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) ................................................ 1-34
Vehicle with SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints for driver, front passenger, and
window-side rear passengers . .......................... 1-34
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag system ........... 1-38
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag ............. 1-49
SRS airbag system monitors .............................. 1-59
SRS airbag system servicing ... .......................... 1-59
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-60
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1

1-2Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats
WARNING
. Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury.
. Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers and cargo are
clear of the adjusting mechan-ism.
. 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.
. 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
seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control
and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as
possible and sit upright and well
back in the seat.
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, 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
restraint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for thechild
’s age, height and weight. Se-
cure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seat) in the REAR seats at alltimes.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-
CING 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 posi-
tions. For instructions and precau-