2009 SUBARU LEGACY airbag

A hands-free microphone or
other accessory in such a loca-
tion could be propelled through
the cabin with great force by the
curtain airbag, or it could prevent
correct deployment of the curtain
airbag. In either case, the result
could be serious injuries.
. Do not hang coat hangers or
other hard or pointed objects on
the coat hooks. If such items
were hanging on the coat hooks
during deployment of the SRS
curtain airbags, they could cause
serious injuries by coming off the
coat hooks and being thrown
through the cabin or by prevent-
ing deployment of the curtainairbags.
Before hanging clothing on the
coat hooks, make sure there are
no sharp objects in the pockets.
Hang clothing directly on the
coat hooks without using hang-ers.
WARNING
Do not put any kind of cover or
clothes or other objects over either
front seatback and do not attach
labels or stickers to the front seat
surface on or near the SRS side
airbag. They could prevent proper
deployment of the SRS side airbag,
reducing protection available to the
front seat ’s occupant. !
OperationThe SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag can function only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON ”position.
The driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS
side airbags and SRS curtain airbags
deploy independently of each other since
each has its own impact sensor. There-
fore, they may not both deploy in the same
accident. Also, the SRS side airbag and
SRS curtain airbag deploys independently
of the driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbags in the steering wheel and
instrument panel.
An impact sensor, which senses impact
force, is located in each of the left and
right center pillars and rear wheel houses.
Another impact sensor, which also senses Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-59
– CONTINUED –

1-60Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
impact force, is located under the rear
center seat.
If one of the center pillar impact sensors
and the impact sensor that is located
under the rear center seat together sense
an impact force above a predetermined
level in a side collision, the control module
causes both the SRS side airbag and
curtain airbag on the impacted side to
inflate regardless of whether the rear
wheel house impact sensor on the same
side senses an impact.
If one of the rear wheel house impact
sensors and the impact sensor that is
located under the rear center seat to-
gether sense a sufficiently strong impact
force, the control module causes only the
SRS curtain airbag on the impacted side
to inflate.
After the deployment, the SRS side airbag
immediately starts to deflate. The time
required from detection of an impact to
deflation of an SRS side airbag after
deployment is shorter than the blink of
an eye.
The SRS curtain airbag remains inflated
for a while following deployment then
slowly deflates.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag deploy even when no one occupies the seat on the side on which an impact isapplied.
When the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag deploy, a sudden, fairly loud
inflation noise will be heard and some
smoke will be released. These occur-
rences are a normal result of the deploy-
ment. This smoke does not indicate a fire
in the vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS side airbag
system components around the
front seat seatback with bare hands
right after deployment. Doing so can
cause burns because the compo-
nents can be very hot as a result ofdeployment.
After deployment, do not touch any
part of the SRS curtain airbag
system (from the front pillar to the
part of the roof side over the rear
seat). Doing so can cause burns
because the components can be
very hot as a result of deployment.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are designed to deploy in the event
of an accident involving a moderate to
severe side impact collision. It is basically
not designed to deploy in a lesser side impact. Also, it is basically not designed to
deploy in frontal or rear impacts because
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag
deployment would not help the occupant
in those situations.
Each SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are designed to function on a one-
time-only basis.
SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag
deployment depend on the level of force
experienced in the passenger compart-
ment during a side impact collision. That
level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on
the visible damage done to the vehicleitself.

!Example of the type of accident in
which the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag will most likely de-
ploy.
A severe side impact near the front seat
activates the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-61
– CONTINUED –

1-62Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
! Examples of the types of accidents in which the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag are unlikely to deploy.
1) The vehicle is involved in an oblique
side-on impact.
2) The vehicle is involved in a side-on impact in an area outside the vicinity of
the passenger compartment.
3) The vehicle strikes a telephone pole or similar object.
4) The vehicle is involved in a side-on impact from a motorcycle.
5) The vehicle rolls onto its side or roof.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require SRS side
airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy-
ment. In the event of accidents like those
illustrated, the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag may not deploy depending
on the level of accident forces involved.

!Examples of the types of accidents
in which the SRS side airbag and
SRS curtain airbag will basically not
deploy.
1) The vehicle is involved in frontal collision
with another vehicle (moving or station- ary). 2) The vehicle is struck from behind.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are basically not designed to
deploy if the vehicle is involved in a frontal
collision or is struck from behind. Exam-
ples of such accidents are illustrated.
1) First impact
2) Second impact
A) SRS curtain airbag
B) SRS side airbag
In an accident where the vehicle is struck
from the side more than once, the SRS
side airbag and SRS curtain airbag deploy
only once on the first impact.
Example: In the case of a double side
impact collision, first with one vehicle and
immediately followed by another from the
same direction, once the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag are activated on
the first impact, they will not be activated
on the second. &
SRS airbag system monitorsVehicle with SI-DRIVESeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-63
– CONTINUED –

1-64Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Vehicle without SI-DRIVE
A diagnostic system continually monitors
the readiness of the SRS airbag system
(including front seatbelt pretensioners)
while the vehicle is being driven. The
SRS airbag system warning light “AIR-
BAG ”will show normal system operation
by lighting for approximately 6 seconds
when the ignition switch is turned to the“ ON ”position.
The following components are monitored
by the indicator: . Front sub sensor (right-hand side)
. Front sub sensor (left-hand side)
. Airbag control module (including im-
pact sensors). Frontal airbag module (driver ’s side)
. Frontal airbag module (front passen- ger
’s side)
. Side airbag sensor (center pillar right-
hand side). Side airbag sensor (center pillar left-
hand side). Side airbag module (driver ’s side)
. Side airbag module (front passenger ’s
side). Curtain airbag sensor (rear wheel
house right-hand side). Curtain airbag sensor (rear wheel
house left-hand side). Curtain airbag module (right-hand side)
. Curtain airbag module (left-hand side)
. Satellite safing sensor (under the rear
center seat) . Seatbelt pretensioner (driver ’s side)
. Seatbelt pretensioner (front passen-
ger ’s side)
. Seatbelt buckle switch (front passen-
ger ’s side)
. Front passenger ’s seatbelt tension
sensor . Front passenger ’s occupant detection
system weight sensor. Front passenger ’s occupant detection
control module. Front passenger ’s frontal airbag ON
and OFF indicator. All related wiring
WARNING
If the warning light exhibits any of
the following conditions, there may
be a malfunction in the seatbelt
pretensioners and/or SRS airbag
system. Immediately take your vehi-
cle to your nearest SUBARU dealer
to have the system checked. Unless
checked and properly repaired, the
seatbelt pretensioners and/or SRS
airbags will operate improperly (e.g.
SRS airbags may inflate in a very
minor collision or not inflate in a
severe collision), which may in-
crease the risk of injury. . Flashing or flickering of the warn-
ing light
. No illumination of the warning
light when the ignition switch is
first turned to the “ON ”position
. Continuous illumination of the
warning light
. Illumination of the warning light
while driving

&SRS airbag system servicing
WARNING
. When discarding an airbag mod-
ule or scrapping the entire vehi-
cle damaged by a collision, con-
sult your SUBARU dealer.
. The SRS airbag has no user-
serviceable parts. Do not use
electrical test equipment on any
circuit related to the SRS airbag
system. For required servicing of
the SRS airbag, consult your
nearest SUBARU dealer. Tamper-
ing with or disconnecting the system ’s wiring could result in
accidental inflation of the SRS
airbag or could make the system
inoperative, which may result in
serious injury.
CAUTION
If you need service or repair in areas
listed in the following, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer perform
the work. The SRS airbag control
module, impact sensors and airbag
modules are stored in these areas. . Under the center console
. Inside each front fender
. Steering wheel and column and
nearby areas
. Top of the dashboard on front
passenger ’s side and nearby
areas
. Each front seat and nearby area
. Inside each center pillar
. In each roof side (from the front
pillar to a point over the rear seat)
. Between the rear seat cushion
and rear wheel house on each side
. Under the rear center seat
In the event that the SRS airbag is
deployed, replacement of the system
should be performed only by an author-
ized SUBARU dealer. When the compo-
nents of the SRS airbag system are
replaced, use only genuine SUBARU parts.
NOTE
In the following cases, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possible. . The front part of the vehicle was
involved in an accident in which the
only the driver ’s SRS frontal airbag or
both driver ’s and front passenger ’s
SRS frontal airbags did not deploy.. The pad of the steering wheel, the
cover over the front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbag, or either roof side (from
the front pillar to a point over the rear
seat) is scratched, cracked, or other-
wise damaged.. Center pillar, rear wheel house or
rear sub frame, or an area near these
parts, was involved in an accident in
which the SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag did not deploy.. The fabric or leather of either front
seatback is cut, frayed, or otherwisedamaged.. The rear part of the vehicle was
involved in an accident. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-65
– CONTINUED –

1-66Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Precautions against vehicle modification
WARNING
To avoid accidental activation of the
system or rendering the system
inoperative, which may result in
serious injury, no modifications
should be made to any components
or wiring of the SRS airbag system.
This includes following modifica- tions: . Installation of custom steering
wheels
. Attachment of additional trim
materials to the dashboard
. Installation of custom seats
. Replacement of seat fabric or
leather
. Installation of additional fabric or
leather on the front seat
. Attachment of a hands-free mi-
crophone or any other accessory
to a front pillar, a center pillar, a
rear pillar, the windshield, a side
window, an assist grip, or any
other cabin surface that would be
near a deploying SRS curtainairbag. .
Installation of additional electri-
cal/electronic equipment such as
a mobile two-way radio on or
near the SRS airbag system
components and/or wiring is not
advisable. This could interfere
with proper operation of the
SRS airbag system.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the SRS airbag system. . Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, bullbar, winches, snow
plow, skid/sump plate, etc.) other
than genuine SUBARU acces-
sory parts.
. 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 driver ’s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-er ’s Manual.
. Attachment of any equipment
(side steps or side sill protectors, etc.) other than genuine SUBARU
accessory parts to the side body.
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts on
your vehicle.