2016 SUBARU WRX Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seatbelt pretensioners
buyer to the contents of this section.
WARNING. To obtain maximum protection,
the occupants should sit in an
upright position with their seat-
belts properly fastened. Refer to
“ Seatbelts ” F 1-11.
. Do not modify, remove or strike
the front seatbelt retractor as-
semblies or surrounding area.
This could result in accidental
activation of the seatbelt preten-
sioners or could make the sys-
tem inoperative, possibly result-
ing in serious injury. Seatbelt
pretensioners have no user-ser-
viceable parts. For required ser-
vicing of front seatbelt retractors
equipped with seatbelt preten-
sioners, consult your SUBARU
dealer.
. When discarding front seatbelt
retractor assemblies or scrap-
ping the entire vehicle due to
collision damage or for other
reasons, consult your SUBARU
dealer. & System monitors A diagnostic system continually monitors
the readiness of the seatbelt pretensioner
while the vehicle is being driven. The
seatbelt pretensioners share the control
module with the SRS airbag system.
Therefore, if any malfunction occurs in a
seatbelt pretensioner, the SRS airbag
system warning light will illuminate. For
details, refer to “ SRS airbag system
monitors ” F 1-57.
& System servicing
WARNING. When discarding a seatbelt re-
tractor assembly or scrapping
the entire vehicle damaged by a
collision, consult your SUBARU
dealer.
. Tampering with or disconnecting
the system ’ s wiring could result
in accidental activation of the
seatbelt pretensioner and/or
SRS airbag or could make the
system inoperative, which may
result in serious injury. Do not
use electrical test equipment on
any circuit related to the seatbelt
pretensioner and SRS airbag
systems. For required servicing of the seatbelt pretensioner, con-
sult your nearest SUBARU deal-
er.
CAUTIONThe sensors and SRS airbag control
modules are located in the following
locations.
. Front sub sensors: on both the
right and left side at the front of
the vehicle
. Front door impact sensors: on
both front doors
. Satellite safing sensor: under the
rear center seat
. Side airbag sensors: on both
center pillars
. Curtain airbag sensors: on both
rear wheel houses
. SRS airbag control module (in-
cluding the impact sensors): un-
der the center of the instrument
panel
If you need service or repair in those
areas or near the front seatbelt
retractors, have the work performed
by your authorized SUBARU dealer.1-20

NOTE If the front or side part of the vehicle is
damaged in an accident to the extent
that the seatbelt pretensioner does not
operate, contact your SUBARU dealer
as soon as possible.
& Precautions against vehicle
modification Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTIONDo not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners.
. Attachment of any equipment
other than genuine SUBARU ac-
cessory 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 driver ’ s
door pillar or specified for indivi-
dual vehicle models in this Own-
er ’ 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 Vehicle Safety Standards, is com-
patible with your vehicle and is appro-
priate 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 described in “ Installation of
child restraint systems by use of lower and
tether anchorages (LATCH) ” F 1-29).
Children could be endangered in an
accident if their child restraints are notSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
– CONTINUED –1-21

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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.
Lock release knob
1) Unlocked
2) Locked
A) Unlocking marker in red WARNINGBefore 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.
WARNING
Never let a passenger hold a child
on his or her lap or in his or her
arms while the vehicle is moving.
The passenger cannot protect the
child from injury in a collision,
because the child will be caught
between the passenger and objects
inside the vehicle. Additionally, 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 front1-22

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, Automatic Locking
Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
(ALR/ELR) seatbelts and lower an-
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 facingSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
– CONTINUED –1-23

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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. WARNINGSINCE 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.
& 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 sudden1-24

stop, turn or accident; they can
strike and injure vehicle occu-
pants as well as result in serious
injuries or death to the child.
CAUTIONWhen 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. ! Installing a rearward facing child
restraint
1. Shake the seatback 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 1-9.
2. Place the child restraint system in the
rear seating position.
3. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the child restraint system
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer. 4. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
5. Take up the slack in the lap belt.
6. 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.Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
– CONTINUED –1-25

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
7. 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.
8. Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt
to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR
properly functioning). 9. 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 FORWARD OR
REARWARD FACING CHILD SEAT
IN THE FRONT PASSENGER ’ S
SEAT. DOING SO 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
WARNINGBefore 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 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 1-9.
2. Remove the head restraint of the rear
seating position where the child restraint
system is to be installed. For details, refer
to “ Head restraint adjustment ” F 1-8.1-26

CAUTIONStore the head restraint that has
been removed in the cargo area.
Avoid placing the head restraint in
the passenger compartment to pre-
vent it from being thrown around in
the passenger compartment in a
sudden stop or a sharp turn.
3. Place the child restraint system in the
rear seating position.
WARNINGWhen 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 ” F 1-23. 4. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the child restraint system
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
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.
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 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).Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
– CONTINUED –1-27