2017 SUBARU FORESTER Owners Manual

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 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
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 1-13.
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 1-12.
CAUTION
Store 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. For models with rear seat reclining
mechanism, 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 ”F 1-30.
1-34

5. 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, pass the rear center seatbelt
through the belt guide properly. For
details, refer to “Rear center seatbelt ”
F 1-21.
6. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.7. Take up the slack in the lap belt.
8. 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.9. 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.
10. Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt
to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR
properly functioning).
11. 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 1-40.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-35

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
12. 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.
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. For models with rear seat reclining
mechanism, adjust the seatback to the
upright position.
2. 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.
3. Run the lap and shoulder belt through
or around the booster seat and the child
following the instructions provided by its
manufacturer.
4. 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
1-36

possible on the child’s hips.
5. 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
tight and secure, the danger of your
child suffering personal injury in the
event of an accident may be in-
creased.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-37

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
Some types of child restraint systems can
be installed on the rear seat of your
vehicle without use of the seatbelts. Such
child restraint systems are secured to the
designated anchorages provided on the
vehicle body. The lower and tether an-
chorages are sometimes referred to as the
LATCH system (Lower Anchors and
T ethers for CHildren).Your vehicle is equipped with four lower
anchorages (bars) and three upper an-
chorages (tether anchorages) for accom-
modating such child restraint systems.
The lower anchorages (bars) are provided
for installing a child restraint system only on the rear seat window-side seating
positions. For each window-side seating
position, two lower anchorages are pro-
vided.
Each lower anchorage is located behind
the cover of the seatback bottom.
The tether anchorages (upper an-
chorages) are provided at the locations
shown in the above illustration. For de-
tails, refer to
“Top tether anchorages ”F 1-
40.
To install a child restraint system using
lower and tether anchorages, perform the
following procedure.
WARNING
Before installing a child restraint
system, be sure to confirm that the
1-38

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 1-13.
2. You will find marks “”at the bottom of
the rear seat seatbacks. These marks
indicate the positions of the lower an-
chorages (bars).
Remove the covers and locate the lower
anchorages (bars).
3. Remove the rear seat head restraint.
For details, refer to “Head restraint adjust-
ment ”F 1-12.
CAUTION
Store 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.
4. For models with rear seat reclining
mechanism, adjust the seatback to the
upright position.
5. While following the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint system manu-
facturer, connect the lower hooks onto the
lower anchorages located at “
”marks on
the bottom of the rear seatback. When the
hooks are connected, make sure the
adjacent seatbelts are not caught.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-39

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
6. [If your child restraint system is of a
flexible attachment type (which uses
tether belts to connect the child restraint
system properly to the lower anchorages)]
While pushing the child restraint into the
seat cushion, pull both left and right lower
tether belts up to secure the child restraint
system firmly by taking up the slack in the
belt.
7. 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 1-40.8. Before seating a child in the child
restraint system, try to move it back and
forth and right and left to verify that it is
held securely in position.
9. To remove the child restraint system,
follow the reverse procedures of installa-
tion.
If you have any question concerning this
type of child restraint system, ask your
SUBARU dealer.
& Top tether anchorages
Your vehicle is equipped with three top
tether anchorages so that a child restraint
system having a top tether can be
installed in the rear seat. When installing
a child restraint system using top tether,
proceed as follows, while observing the
instructions by the child restraint system
manufacturer.
Since a top tether can provide additional
stability by offering another connection
between a child restraint system and the
vehicle, we recommend that you use a top
tether whenever one is required or avail-
able.
1-40

!Anchorage location
1) For left seat
2) For center seat
3) For right seat
Three upper anchorages are installed on
the back side of the rear seatback.
!To hook the top tether
CAUTION
.Remove the head restraint when
mounting a child restraint sys-
tem. Otherwise, it might be pos-
sible that the top tether cannot be
fastened tightly.
. Store the head restraint that has
been removed in the cargo area.
Avoid placing the head restraint
in the passenger compartment to
prevent it from being thrown
around in the passenger com-
partment in a sudden stop or a
sharp turn.
1. 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 1-12.
2. For models with rear seat reclining
mechanism, adjust the seatback to the
upright position.
3. Attach the top tether hook to the
appropriate upper anchorage.
4. Tighten the top tether securely.
Please contact your SUBARU dealer if
you have any question regarding the
installation of a child restraint system.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems1-41