2016 SUBARU OUTBACK front

&Precautions against vehicle
modification
Always 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 systems
Infants and small children should always
be placed in an infant or child restraint
system in the rear seat while riding in the
vehicle.
You should use an infant or child restraint
system that meets Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards or Canada Motor Vehi-
cle Safety Standards, is compatible with
your vehicle and is appropriate for the
child’s age and size.
All child restraint systems are designed 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“Installation of child
restraint systems by use of lower andtether anchorages (LATCH)”F1-35).
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.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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 system
The following descriptions are SUBARU’s
recommendations 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,Automatic Locking
Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
(ALR/ELR) seatbelts and lower an-
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chorages (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
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, if equipped)
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.
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. Put children in the
rear seat properly restrained at
all times. The SRS airbag de-
ploys with considerable speed
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 thefront 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, DO NOT INSTALL A
REARWARD FACING CHILD
SAFETY SEAT IN THE FRONT PAS-
SENGER’S SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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 retracting the
seatbelt 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.
2. If the child restraint system makes
contact with the head restraint of the rear
seating position where the child restraint
system is to be installed, raise the head
restraint to the extended position. If the
child restraint system still makes contact,
remove the head restraint. For details,
refer to“Head restraint adjustment”F1-
14.
CAUTION
Store the head restraint that has
been removed in the trunk or cargo
area. Avoid placing the head re-
straint in the passenger compart-
ment to prevent it from being thrown
around in the passenger compart-
ment in a sudden stop or a sharp
turn.
3. For the Outback, adjust the seatback
to the upright position.
4. 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”F1-28.
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4. Attach the top tether hook to the
appropriate upper anchorage.
5. Tighten the top tether securely.
*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 supple-
mental restraint system in addition to a
lap/shoulder belt at each front seating
position and each rear window-side seat-
ing position. The supplemental restraint
system (SRS) consists of the following
airbags.
.Driver’s and front passenger’sfrontal
airbags
.Driver’s and front passenger’sside
airbags
.Driver’s and front passenger’sseat
cushionairbags
.Curtainairbags (for driver, front pas-
senger, and window-side rear passen-
gers)
These SRS airbags are designed only
to be a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seatbelt.
The system also controls front seatbelt
pretensioners. For operation instructions
and precautions concerning the seatbeltpretensioner, refer to“Front seatbelt pre-
tensioners”F1-24.&General precautions regard-
ing SRS airbag system
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
to be a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seat-
belt. It does not eliminate 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“Seatbelts”F1-16.
.The SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag are designed only
to be a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seat-
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
belt. They do not eliminate the
need to fasten seatbelts. It is also
important to wear your seatbelt
to help avoid injuries that can
result when an occupant is not
seated in a proper upright posi-
tion.
WARNING
.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 theseat 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
.Do not sit or lean unnecessarily
close to either front door. The
SRS side airbags are stored in
both front seat seatbacks next to
the door, and they provide pro-
tection by deploying rapidly (fas-
ter than the blink of an eye) in the
event of a side impact collision.
However, the force of SRS sideairbag deployment may cause
injuries if your head or other
parts of the body are too close
to the SRS side airbag.
.Since your vehicle is equipped
with SRS curtain airbags, do not
sit or lean unnecessarily close to
the front or rear door on either
side. Also, do not put your head,
arms or hands out of the window.
The SRS curtain airbags on both
sides of the cabin are stored in
the roof side (between the front
pillar and a point over the rear
seat), and they provide protec-
tion by deploying rapidly (faster
than the blink of an eye) in the
event of a side impact, a rollover
or also a frontal collision depend-
ing on circumstances. However,
the force of its deployment may
cause injuries if your head is too
close to it.
.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.
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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.
WARNING
.Do not rest your arm on eitherfront door or its internal trim. You
could be injured in the event of
SRS side airbag deployment.
.Do not place any objects over or
near the SRS airbag cover or
between you and the SRS airbag.
If the SRS airbag deploys, these
objects could interfere with its
proper operation and could be
propelled inside the vehicle,
causing injury.
WARNING
Do not put any objects over the
steering wheel pad and dashboard.
If the SRS frontal airbag deploys,
these objects could interfere with itsproper operation and could be pro-
pelled inside the vehicle, causing
injury.
WARNING
Do not attach accessories to the
windshield, or fit an extra-wide mir-
ror over the rear view mirror. If the
SRS airbag deploys, those objects
could become projectiles that could
seriously injure vehicle occupants.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
WARNING
.Do not attach accessories to the
door trim or near either SRS side
airbags and do not place objects
near the SRS side airbags. In the
event of SRS side airbag deploy-
ment, they could be propelled
dangerously toward the vehicle’s
occupants and cause injuries.
.Do not attach a hands-free micro-
phone or any other accessory to
a front pillar, a center pillar, a rear
pillar, the windshield, a side win-
dow, an assist grip, or any other
cabin surface that would be near
a deploying SRS curtain airbag.
A hands-free microphone orother 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.
WARNING
Do not place hangers or other hard
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 preventing
deployment of the curtain airbags.Before hanging clothing on the coat
hooks, make sure there are no sharp
objects in the pockets. Hang cloth-
ing directly on the coat hooks with-
out using hangers.
WARNING
Do not put any kind of cover or
clothes or other objects over either
front seatback/seat cushion and do
not attach labels or stickers to the
front seat surface on or near the
SRS side airbag/SRS seat cushion
airbag. They could prevent proper
deployment of the SRS side airbag/
SRS seat cushion airbag, reducing
protection available to the front
seat’s occupant.
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