8
&Modification of your vehicle
CAUTION
Your vehicle should not be modified
other than with genuine SUBARU
parts and accessories. Other types
of modifications could affect its
performance, safety or durability,
and may even violate governmental
regulations. In addition, damage or
performance problems resulting
from modification may not be cov-
ered under warranties.
& Driving with pets
Unrestrained pets can interfere with your
driving and distract your attention from
driving. In a collision or sudden stop,
unrestrained pets or cages can be thrown
around inside the vehicle and hurt you or
your passengers. Besides, the pets can
be hurt under these situations. It is also for
their own safety that pets should be
properly restrained in your vehicle. Re-
strain a pet with a special traveling
harness which can be secured to the rear
seat with a seatbelt or use a pet carrier
which can be secured to the rear seat by
routing a seatbelt through the carrier ’s
handle. Never restrain pets or pet carriers in the front passenger
’s seat. For further
information, consult your veterinarian,
local animal protection society or petshop.
& Tire pressures
WARNING
Driving at high speeds with exces-
sively low tire pressures can cause
the tires to deform severely and to
rapidly become hot. A sharp in-
crease in temperature could cause
tread separation, and destruction of
the tires. The resulting loss of
vehicle control could lead to anaccident.
Check and, if necessary, adjust the
pressure of each tire (including the spare)
at least once a month and before any long
journey.
Check the tire pressure when the tires are
cold. Use a pressure gauge to adjust the
tire pressures to the values shown on the
tire placard. For detailed information, referto “Tires and wheels ”F 11-35. &
California proposition 65 warning
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its consti-
tuents, and certain vehicle compo-
nents contain or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids in vehicles and
certain components of product wear
contain or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm.
&Warning and indicator lights
Mark Name Page
Seatbelt warning light 3-10
Front passenger ’s
seatbelt warning light 3-10
SRS airbag system
warning light 3-11
CHECK ENGINE warn-
ing light/Malfunction in-
dicator lamp3-12
Coolant temperature
low indicator light/Cool-
ant temperature high
warning light3-13
Charge warning light 3-14
Oil pressure warning light
3-14
Engine oil level warning light3-14
AT OIL TEMP warning
light (AT and CVT mod- els)3-15
/ABS warning light 3-16 Mark Name Page
/Brake system warning light
3-17
Hill Holder indicator light
3-19
Door open warning light 3-20
Door open indicator light3-20
Low fuel warning light 3-19
All-Wheel Drive warn-
ing light (AT and CVT models)3-20
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol warning light/Vehi-
cle Dynamics Control
operation indicator light3-20
Vehicle Dynamics Con-
trol OFF indicator light
3-21
Security indicator light 3-22
Turn signal indicator lights3-23
High beam indicator light
3-23Mark Name Page
Front fog light indicator
light (if equipped)
3-23
Cruise control indicator light
3-23
Cruise control set indi-
cator light
3-23
Headlight indicator light 3-23
Low tire pressure
warning light
(U.S.-spec. models)3-15
ON /
Front passenger ’s fron-
tal airbag ON indicator light 1-46/
3-12
/Front passenger ’s fron-
tal airbag OFF indicator light 1-46/
3-12
Shift-up indicator 3-22
Windshield washer fluid
warning light 3-2019
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 or 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 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 not restrained or improperly
restrained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults, their
risk of being injured from deploy-
ment is greater. Consequently, we
strongly recommend that ALL chil-
dren (including those in child seats
and those that have outgrown child
restraint 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 age, height and
weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seats) in the REAR seats at
all times.
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-
tions concerning child restraint sys-
tems, refer to“Child restraint sys-
tems ”F 1-25.
& Manual seat
! Forward and backward adjustment
Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position. Then release the
lever and move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked intoplace. !
Reclining the seatback
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the
vehicle is in motion. Also, do not
place objects such as cushions
between the passenger and the
seatback. 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 or death.
Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the
seatback to the desired position. Then
release the lever and make sure the
seatback is securely locked into place.
The seatback placed in a reclined position
can spring back upward with force when
the lever is pulled. When operating the
reclining lever to return the seatback, hold
the seatback lightly so that it may be
raised back gradually. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-3
– CONTINUED –
1-8Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Reclining the seatback (Out- back)
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the
vehicle is in motion.
CAUTION
If the vehicle is equipped with a
cargo area cover, observe the fol-
lowing precautions. . Be careful not to pinch your hand
between the headrest and the cargo area cover when you re-
cline the rear seat.
. Move the front cover of the cargo
area cover backward so that the
cover is not damaged by the
reclined seatback. Refer to “Car-
go area cover ”F 6-15.
Pull the lever and adjust the seatback to
the desired position.
Then release the lever and make sure the
seatback is securely locked into place. &
Folding down the rear seat- back
WARNING
. After returning the rear seat 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 or trunk. Doing so
may result in serious injury ordeath.
. Secure all objects and especially
long items properly to prevent
them from being thrown around
inside the vehicle and causing
serious injury during a sudden
stop, a sudden steering maneu-
ver or a rapid acceleration.
CAUTION
The rear seatback may fold down
quickly due to the internal spring.
Hold the seatback while pulling the
release lever to slow it down.
! Legacy
CAUTION
Before folding down the rear seats,
make sure that no one is sitting and
nothing is placed on the rear seats.
Otherwise, the seatback may fold
down suddenly and an unexpected
accident may occur.
To fold down the seatback, perform the
following procedure.
1. Open the trunk lid. Refer to “Opening
the trunk lid (Legacy) ”F 2-10 or “To open
the trunk lid from inside ”F 2-24.
1) Release lever
2. Pull the release lever on the side that
you want to fold down.
3. Fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securelylocked. !
Outback
Unlock the seatback by pulling the release
lever and then fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securelylocked. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-9
– CONTINUED –
1-12Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Armrest
To lower the armrest, pull on the top edge
of the armrest.
WARNING
To avoid the possibility of serious
injury, passengers must never be
allowed to sit on the center armrest
while the vehicle is in motion. 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 in the rear seat
properly restrained at all times.
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, especially if they are not
restrained or improperly re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from
deployment is greater. Conse-
quently, 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, refer to“Child restraint systems ”F 1-25.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt by the front
passenger when any of the SRS frontal,
side and curtain airbags deploys. ! Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. Refer to “Child
restraint systems ”F 1-25.
! 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, 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 the child
’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 ALR. When the seatbelt is
retracted fully, ALR mode is canceled.
When securing a child restraint system on
the passengers ’seats, the seatbelt must
be changed over to the Automatic Locking Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-13
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