2017 SUBARU FORESTER steering

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
the ELR mode, refer to“Installing child
restraint systems with ALR/ELR seatbelt ”
F 1-32.
&Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Refer to “Seatbelt warning light and
chime ”F 3-14.
& Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
. Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
. Keep the lap belt as low as
possible on your hips. In a colli-
sion, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones
instead of across the weaker
abdomen.
. 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.
. Do not put cushions or any other
materials between occupants
and seatbacks or seat cushions.
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.
WARNING
Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an
accident occurs, this can increase
the risk or severity of injury.
CAUTION
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can
become very hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weath-
er; they could burn an occupant. Do
not touch such hot parts until they
cool.
! Front seatbelts
1. Adjust the seat position according to
the following procedure.
Driver ’s seat: Adjust the seatback to the
upright position. Move the seat as far from
the steering wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control.
Front passenger ’s seat: Adjust the seat-
back to the upright position. Move the seat
as far back as possible.
2. Sit well back in the seat.
3. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted.
.If the belt stops before reaching the
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
*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 positions. The supplemental restraint
system (SRS) consists of seven airbags.
The configurations are as follows.
. Driver ’s and front passenger ’s frontal
airbags
. Driver ’s and front passenger ’s side
airbags
. Curtain airbags (for driver, front pas-
senger, and window-side rear passen-
gers)
. Knee airbag for driver
These SRS airbags are designed only
as a supplement to the primary protec-
tion provided by the seatbelt.
The system also controls front seatbelt
pretensioners. For operation instructions
and precautions concerning the seatbelt
pretensioner, refer to “Front seatbelt pre-
tensioners ”F 1-25.
& General precautions regard-
ing SRS airbag system
WARNING
. To obtain maximum protection in
the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers must
always wear seatbelts when in
the vehicle. The SRS airbag is
designed only to be a supple-
ment to the primary protection
provided by the seatbelt. It does
not eliminate the need to fasten
seatbelts. In combination with
the seatbelts, it offers the best
combined protection 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 ”F 1-16.
. The SRS side airbag and SRS
curtain airbag are designed only
to be a supplement to the primary
protection provided by the seat-
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 the
seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still
maintaining full vehicle control
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
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 dash-
board. If the SRS frontal airbag
deploys, these objects could in-
terfere with its proper operation
and could be propelled inside the
vehicle, causing injury.
. Do not put any objects under the driver
’s side of the instrument
panel. If the SRS knee airbag
deploys, those objects could in-
terfere with its proper operation
and could be propelled inside the
vehicle, causing injury.
. The key must not be attached to
heavy, sharp or hard acces-
sories, or another key. If the
SRS knee airbag deploys, those
objects could interfere with its
proper operation and could be
propelled inside the vehicle and
cause injury.
WARNING
Do not attach accessories to the windshield, or fit an extra-wide mir-
ror over the inside rear view mirror.
If the SRS airbag deploys, those
objects could become projectiles
that could seriously injure vehicle
occupants.
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-
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&Components
1) SRS frontal airbag
2) SRS side airbag
3) SRS curtain airbag
4) SRS knee airbag
The SRS airbags are stowed in the
following locations.
Driver ’s SRS frontal airbag : in the center
portion of the steering wheel
A “SRS AIRBAG ”mark is located at the
pad of the airbag.
Front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag :
near the top of the dashboard under the
“SRS AIRBAG” mark
SRS side airbag : in the door side of each
front seat seatback which bears an “SRS
AIRBAG ”label
SRS curtain airbag : in the roof side
(between the front pillar and a point
behind the rear quarter glass)
An “SRS AIRBAG” mark is located at the
top of each center pillar.
SRS knee airbag : under the steering
column
A “SRS AIRBAG ”mark is located at the
door of the airbag.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
–CONTINUED –1-49

are placed on the seat.!If the passenger ’s frontal airbag
OFF indicator illuminates and
the ON indicator turns off even
when the front passenger ’s seat
is occupied by an adult
This can be caused by the adult incor-
rectly sitting in the front passenger ’s seat.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF ”position.
2. Ask the front passenger to set the
seatback to the upright position, sit up
straight in the center of the seat cushion,
correctly fasten the seatbelt, position his/
her legs out forward, and adjust the seat to
the rearmost position.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON”
position.
If the OFF indicator remains illuminated
while the ON indicator remains off, take
the following actions.
1. Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK”/
“OFF ”position.
2. Make sure that the front passenger
does not use a blanket, seat cushion, seat
cover, seat heater or massager, etc.
3. If wearing excessive layers of clothing,
the front passenger should remove any
unnecessary items before sitting in the
front passenger ’s seat, or should sit in a rear seat.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the
“ON”
position and wait 6 seconds to allow the
system to complete self-checking. Follow-
ing the system check, both indicators turn
off for 2 seconds. Now, the ON indicator
should illuminate while the OFF indicator
remains off.
If the OFF indicator still remains illumi-
nated while the ON indicator remains off,
ask the occupant to move to the rear seat
and immediately contact your SUBARU
dealer for an inspection.
! How to contact the vehicle manu-
facturer concerning modifications
for persons with disabilities that
may affect the advanced airbag
system
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, rear seat, seatbelts, front bumper,
front side frame, radiator panel, instrument
panel, combination meter, steering wheel,
steering column, tire, suspension or floor
panel can affect the operation of the
SUBARU advanced airbag system. If
you have any questions, you may contact
the following SUBARU distributors. of Columbia>
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer Dealer Services Department
P.O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000
1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783)

Subaru Hawaii
2850 Pukoloa Street, Suite 202,
Honolulu, HI 96819-4467
808-839-2273

Shen
’s Corporation dba Prestige Automo-
bile
491, East Marine Corps Drive, Route 1
Dededo, Guam 96921-6225
671-633-2698

Trebol Motors
P.O. Box 11204, San Juan, Puerto Rico
00910
787-793-2828
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
–CONTINUED –1-55

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
The driver’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbags use dual stage inflators.
The two inflators of each airbag are
triggered either sequentially or simulta-
neously, depending on the severity of
impact, in the case of the driver ’s SRS
frontal airbag and depending on the
severity of impact and the characteristic
of item(s) or person on the seat in the case
of the front passenger ’s SRS frontal
airbag.
After deployment, the SRS airbag imme-
diately starts to deflate so that the driver ’s
vision is not obstructed and the driver ’s
ability to maintain control of the vehicle is
not impaired. The time required from
detecting impact to the deflation of the
SRS airbag after deployment is shorter
than the blink of an eye.
Both when only the driver ’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys and the driver ’s and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags deploy,
the driver ’s and front passenger ’s seatbelt
pretensioners operate at the same time.
When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden,
fairly loud inflation noise will be heard and
some smoke will be released. These
occurrences are a normal result of the
deployment. This smoke does not indicate
a fire in the vehicle.CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS airbag system
components around the steering
wheel and dashboard with bare
hands right after deployment. Doing
so can cause burns because the
components can be very hot as a
result of deployment.
The driver ’s SRS frontal airbag and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag are de-
signed as follows.
. to deploy in the event of an accident
involving a moderate to severe frontal
collision
. to function on a one-time-only basis
The driver ’s SRS frontal airbag and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag are not
designed as follows.
. to deploy in most lesser frontal im-
pacts
*1
. to deploy in most side or rear impacts
or in most roll-over accidents*2
*1: Because the necessary protection can be
achieved by the seatbelt alone.
*2: Because deployment of only the driver ’s
SRS frontal airbag or both the driver ’s and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags would not
protect the occupant in those situations.
SRS airbag deployment depends on the
level of force experienced in the passen-
ger compartment during a collision. That
level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on
the visible damage done to the vehicle
itself.
!Example of accident in which the
driver ’s/driver ’s and front pas-
senger ’s SRS frontal airbag(s)
will most likely deploy
A head-on collision against a thick con-
crete wall at a vehicle speed of 12 to 19
mph (20 to 30 km/h) or higher activates
only the driver ’s SRS frontal airbag or both
driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS frontal
airbags. The airbag(s) will also be acti-
vated when the vehicle is exposed to a
frontal impact similar in fashion and
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&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
indicated in the following list, have
the work performed by an author-
ized SUBARU dealer. The SRS air-
bag control module, impact sensors
and airbag modules are stored in
these areas. .
Under the center of the instru-
ment panel
. On both the right and left sides at
the front of the vehicle
. Steering wheel and column and
nearby areas
. Bottom of the steering 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
. Inside each front door
. In each roof side (from the front
pillar to a point behind the rear
quarter glass)
. 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 only
the driver ’s SRS frontal airbag or both
driver ’s and front passenger ’sSRS
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 behind the rear
quarter glass) is scratched, cracked, or
otherwise damaged.
. The center pillar, front door, 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 otherwise
damaged.
. The rear part of the vehicle was
involved in an accident in which no
SRS airbag was deployed.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
–CONTINUED –1-71

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
&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 curtain
airbag. .
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, 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 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.
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