2016 SUBARU IMPREZA Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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 system
The 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 seat, window-side seating
positions
Recommended positions for all types of
child restraint systems.
In these positions, the following equip-
ment is provided for installing a child
restraint system.
. Automatic Locking Retractor/Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) seat-
belts
. Lower anchorages (bars)
. Upper anchorages (tether anchorages)
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.
C: Rear seat, center seating position
The ALR/ELR seatbelt and an upper
anchorage (tether anchorage) are pro-
vided 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.
When you install a child restraint system in
the rear seat
’s center seating position,
raise the center head restraint.
Lower anchorages (bars) for window-side
seating positions may be used for a seat
in the center seating position if a child
restraint system manufacturer ’s instruc-
tions permit and specify using anchors as
far apart as those in this vehicle.
If a child restraint system is not correctly
fixed in place (for example, if a child
restraint system can be moved more than
1 inch (2.5 cm) from side to side), you
should install the child restraint system in
a rear seat, window-side seating position.
WARNING
. Even with advanced airbags, chil-
dren can be seriously injured by
the airbag. Place children in the
rear seat properly restrained at
all times. The SRS airbag de-
ploys with considerable speed
1-26

and force and can injure or even
kill children, 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.
For that reason, be sure to se-
cure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seats) in the REAR seats at
all times. You should choose a
restraint device which is appro-
priate for the child’s age, height
and weight. According to acci-
dent statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the
front seating positions.
. Do not use lower anchorages
(bars) for a seat in the center
seating position unless a child
restraint system manufacturer ’s
instructions permit and specify
using anchors spaced as far
apart as those in this vehicle.
WARNING
SINCE YOUR VEHICLE IS
EQUIPPED WITH A PASSENGER ’S
SRS AIRBAG, NEVER 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’ SHEADTOOCLOSETO
THE SRS AIRBAG.
& Choosing a child restraint
system
Choose a child restraint system that is
appropriate for the child ’s age and size
(weight and height) in order to provide the
child with proper protection. The child
restraint system should meet all applic-
able requirements of Federal Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standards for the United States
or of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Stan-
dards for Canada. It can be identified by
looking for the label on the child restraint
system or the manufacturer ’s statement of
compliance in the document attached to
the system.
Also it is important for you to make sure
that the child restraint system is compa-
tible with the vehicle in which it will be
used.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-27

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
&Installing child restraint sys-
tems with ALR/ELR seatbelt
WARNING
. Child restraint systems and seat-
belts can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny
weather; they could burn a small
child. Check the child restraint
system before you place a child
in it.
. Do not leave an unsecured child
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 manufac-
turer ’s instructions supplied with
it. After installing the child re-
straint system, check to ensure
that it is held securely in posi-
tion. If it is not held tight and secure, the danger of your child
suffering personal injury in the
event of an accident may be
increased.
. When installing a child restraint
system in the rear center seating
position, set both seatbacks to
the original position. Otherwise,
the child restraint system cannot
be securely restrained, which
may result in death or serious
injuries in the event of sudden
stop, sudden steering maneuver
or an accident.
! Installing a rearward facing child
restraint
1. Place the child restraint system in the rear seating position.
2. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the child restraint system
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
4. Take up the slack in the lap belt.
5. Pull out the seatbelt fully from the
retractor to change the retractor over from
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
to the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
function. Then, allow the belt to rewind
into the retractor. As the belt is rewinding,
clicks will be heard which indicate the
retractor functions as ALR.
1-28

6. Push and pull the child restraint
system forward and from side to side to
check if it is firmly secured. Sometimes a
child restraint can be more firmly secured
by pushing it down into the seat cushion
and then tightening the seatbelt.
7. Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt
to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR
properly functioning).8. To remove the child restraint system,
press the release button on the seatbelt
buckle and allow the belt to retract
completely. The belt will return to the
ELR mode.
WARNING
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-
CING CHILD SEAT IN THE FRONT
PASSENGER’SSEAT.DOINGSO
RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH
TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE
SRS AIRBAG.
NOTE
When the child restraint system is no
longer in use, remove it and restore the
ELR function of the retractor. That
function is restored by allowing the
seatbelt to retract fully.
! Installing forward facing child re-
straint
WARNING
Before installing a child restraint
system, be sure to confirm that the
seatback is securely locked into
place. Otherwise, in an accident,
serious injury or death could result.
1. Shake the seatback slightly to confirm
that it is securely locked into place. –It is possible to check whether the
seatback is locked visually. If the
seatback is locked into place, the red
colored unlocking marker which is
attached to the bottom of the lock
release knob is invisible. For details,
refer to “Folding down the rear seat-
back ”F 1-10.
2. Prepare the rear seat head restraint
where a child restraint system is intended
to be installed in the following way.
–When a child restraint system is
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-29

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
installed on thewindow-side seating
position or therear center seating
position of a 4-door model, remove
the rear seat head restraint. For de-
tails, refer to “Head restraint adjust-
ment ”F 1-8.
Store the head restraint in the trunk (4-
door models) or cargo area (5-door
models). Avoid placing the head re-
straint in the passenger compartment
to prevent it from being thrown around
in the passenger compartment in a
sudden stop or a sharp turn.
– When a child restraint system is
installed on the rear center seating
position of a 5-door model, raise the
rear seat head restraint to the ex-
tended position. Do not remove the
head restraint. For details, refer to
“ Rear center seating position” F1-9.
3. Place the child restraint system in the
rear seating position.
WARNING
When you intend to install a child
restraint system on the rear center
seating position, if the child restraint
system does not fit snugly against
the contours of the rear center seat
cushion, install the child restraint
system on the window-side seating position to be safe. For details, refer
to
“Where to place a child restraint
system” F1-26.
4. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the child restraint system
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
–When a child restraint system is
installed on the rear center seating
position of a 5-door model, pass the
rear center seatbelt through the belt
guide properly. For details, refer to
“Rear center seatbelt on 5-door mod-
els ”F 1-16.
5. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
6. Take up the slack in the lap belt.
7. Pull out the seatbelt fully from the
retractor to change the retractor over from
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
to the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
function. Then, allow the belt to rewind
into the retractor. As the belt is rewinding,
clicks will be heard which indicate the
retractor functions as ALR.
1-30

8. Before having a child sit in the child
restraint system, try to move it back and
forth and right and left to check if it is firmly
secured. Sometimes a child restraint
system can be more firmly secured by
pushing it down into the seat cushion and
then tightening the seatbelt.
9. Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt
to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR
properly functioning).4-door models
5-door models
10. Latch the top tether hook onto the
tether anchorage that is located behind
the rear seat and tighten the top tether
firmly. For additional instructions, refer to“Top tether anchorages
”F 1-36.
11. To remove the child restraint system,
press the release button on the seatbelt
buckle and allow the belt to retract
completely. The belt will return to the
ELR mode.
If you have installed a child restraint
system for the rear center seating posi-
tion on a 5-door model , when you
remove the child restraint system, the
seatbelt may not be restored to the ELR
mode even if the seatbelt is retracted. In
this case, lower the head restraint to the
retracted position to allow the seatbelt to
retract moreover. The seatbelt will return
to the ELR mode.
Remember that the head restraint is not
intended to be used at the lowest position
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-31

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
(retracted position). Therefore, when the
rear center seat is occupied (including
when a child restraint system is installed)
next time, be sure to raise the head
restraint to the extended position.
NOTE
When the child restraint system is no
longer in use, remove it and restore the
ELR function of the retractor. That
function is restored by allowing the
seatbelt to retract fully.
&Installing a booster seat
WARNING
. Child restraint systems and seat-
belts can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny
weather; they could burn a small
child. Check the child restraint
system before you place a child
in it. .
Do not leave an unsecured child
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.1. Place the booster seat in the rear
seating position and sit the child on it. The
child should sit well back on the booster
seat.
2. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the booster seat and the child
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click. Take care not to
twist the seatbelt.
Make sure the shoulder belt is positioned
across the center of child ’s shoulder and
that the lap belt is positioned as low as
possible on the child ’s hips.
1-32

4. To remove the booster seat, press the
release button on the seatbelt buckle and
allow the belt to retract.
WARNING
.Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury to the child.
. Never place the shoulder belt
under the child ’s arm or behind
the child ’s back. If an accident
occurs, this can increase the risk
or severity of injury to the child.
. The seatbelt should fit snugly in
order to provide full restraint.
Loose fitting belts are not as effective in preventing or redu-
cing injury.
. Place the lap belt as low as
possible on the child ’s hips. A
high-positioned lap belt will in-
crease the risk of sliding under
the lap belt and of the lap belt
sliding up over the abdomen, and
both can result in serious inter-
nal injury or death.
. Make sure the shoulder belt is
positioned across the center of
child ’s shoulder. Placing the
shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sud-
den braking or in a collision.
& Installation of child restraint
systems by use of lower and
tether anchorages (LATCH)
WARNING
. Child restraint systems and seat-
belts can become hot in a vehicle
that has been closed up in sunny
weather; they could burn a small
child. Check the child restraint
system before you place a child
in it.
. Do not leave an unsecured child
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
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-33