2017 SUBARU OUTBACK Owners Manual

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
!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, seatbelts, front bumper, front side
frame, instrument panel, combination me-
ter, steering wheel, steering column, tire,
suspension or floor panel can affect the
operation of the SUBARU advanced air-
bag 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 96921-6255
671-633-2698

Trebol Motors
P.O. Box 11204, San Juan, Puerto Rico
00910
787-793-2828

Subaru Canada, Inc.
Consumer Support Department
560 Suffork Court, Mississauga, Ontario
L5R 4J7
1-800-894-4212
There are currently no SUBARU distribu-
tors in any other U.S. territories. If you are
in such an area, please contact the
SUBARU distributor or dealer from which
you bought your vehicle.& System operation
CAUTION
Do not touch the SRS airbag system
components with bare hands right
after deployment. Doing so can
cause burns because the compo-
nents can be very hot as a result of
deployment.
The SRS airbags can function only when
the ignition switch is in the “ON”position.
When the SRS airbag(s) deploy(s), 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.
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!SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
operation
1) Driver ’s side
2) Passenger ’s side
The SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system is designed to determine the activation or deactivation condition of the
front passenger
’s SRS frontal airbag
depending on the total load on the front
passenger ’s seat monitored by the front
passenger ’s occupant detection system
weight sensor. For this reason, only the
driver ’s SRS frontal airbag may deploy in
the event of a collision, but this does not
mean failure of the system.
If the front sub sensors inside both front
fenders and the impact sensors in the
airbag control module detect a predeter-
mined amount of force during a frontal
collision, the control module sends signals
to the airbag module(s) (only driver ’s
module or both driver ’s and front passen-
ger ’s modules) instructing the module(s)
to inflate the SRS frontal airbag(s). 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 simultaneously, 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 total load
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.
The driver
’s and front passenger ’s seat-
belt pretensioners operate at the same
time in both of the following cases.
. When only the driver ’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys
. When driver ’s and front passenger ’s
SRS frontal airbags deploy
The driver ’s SRS frontal airbag and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag are de-
signed to deploy in the event of an
accident involving a moderate to severe
frontal collision. They are not designed to
deploy in most lesser frontal impacts
because the necessary protection can be
achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, they
are not designed to deploy in most side or
rear impacts or in most rollover accidents
because deployment of these airbags
would not help the occupant in those
situations. The driver ’s and front passen-
ger ’s SRS frontal airbags are designed to
function on a one-time-only basis.
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
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)
the visible damage done to the vehicle
itself.!Examples of accident in which
the driver ’s/driver ’s and front
passenger ’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
magnitude to the collision described
above. !
Examples of the types of acci-
dents in which it is possible that
the driver ’s/driver ’s and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal
airbag(s) will deploy
Only the driver ’s SRS frontal airbag or both driver
’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbags may be activated when the
vehicle sustains a hard impact in the
undercarriage area from the road surface
(such as when the vehicle plunges into a
deep ditch, is severely impacted or
knocked hard against an obstacle on the
road such as a curb).
1-58

!Examples of the types of accidents in which deployment of the driver ’s/
driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag(s) is unlikely to occur1) The vehicle strikes an object, such as a
telephone pole or sign pole.
2) The vehicle slides under the load bed of a truck.
3) The vehicle sustains an oblique offset frontal impact.
4) The vehicle sustains an offset frontal collision.
5) The vehicle strikes an object that can move or deform, such as a parked
vehicle.
There are many types of collisions which
might not necessarily require deployment
of driver ’s/driver ’s and front passenger ’s
SRS frontal airbag(s). In the event of
accidents like those illustrated, the dri-
ver ’s/driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbag(s) may not deploy depend-
ing on the level of accident forces in-
volved.
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)
!Examples of the types of acci-
dents in which the driver ’s/dri-
ver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS
frontal airbag(s) is not designed
to deploy in most cases
The driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags are designed not to deploy
in most cases if the vehicle is struck from
the side or from behind, or if it rolls onto its
side or roof, or if it is involved in a low-
speed frontal collision.
1) First impact
2) Second impact
In an accident where the vehicle is
impacted more than once, the driver
’s
and/or front passenger ’s SRS frontal
airbag(s) will deploy only once on the first
impact.
Example: In the case of a double collision,
first with another vehicle, then against a
concrete wall in immediate succession,
once either or both of the driver ’s and front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags is/are
activated on the first impact, it/they will not be activated on the second impact.
WARNING
If the vehicle is damaged in an
accident but the SRS frontal airbag
does not deploy, contact your
SUBARU dealer as soon as possi-
ble.
1-60

!SRS seat cushion airbag operation
1) Driver ’s side
2) Passenger ’s side
WARNING
The SRS seat cushion airbag is
designed not to deploy when the
seatbelt for the corresponding seat
is not fastened. For safety, all per-
sons in the vehicle should fasten
their seatbelts.
The SRS seat cushion airbags are de-
signed to deploy simultaneously when the
SRS frontal airbags deploy. For details
about the operating conditions, refer to
“SUBARU advanced frontal airbag opera-
tion ”F 1-57.
The front passenger ’s SRS seat cushion
airbag is designed not to deploy in either
of the following conditions.
. The front passenger ’s seatbelt is not
fastened (even when the front passen-
ger ’s frontal airbag ON indicator illumi-
nates while the OFF indicator remains off).
. The front passenger ’s frontal airbag
ON indicator is off while the OFF indicator
illuminates.
NOTE
When the front passenger ’s SRS fron-
tal airbag is deactivated by the occu-
pant detection system, the front pas-
senger ’s SRS seat cushion airbag is
also deactivated.
! SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag operation
The following airbags deploy indepen-
dently of each other because each has
its own impact sensor.
.Driver ’s SRS side airbag
. Front passenger ’s SRS side airbag
. SRS curtain airbag (right-hand side)
. SRS curtain airbag (left-hand side)
Therefore, they may not both deploy in the
same accident. Also, the SRS side airbag
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)
deploys independently of the driver’s and
front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbags in
the steering wheel and instrument panel.
An impact sensor, which senses impact
force, is located in each of the following
locations.
. In the left and right front doors
. In the left and right center pillars
. In the left and right rear wheel houses
. In the airbag control module
. In the left and right front fenders (only
SRS curtain airbags are designed to
deploy when the front sub sensors sense
a severe impact.)
A rollover sensor is also located inside the
airbag control module.
If both of the following sensors together
sense an impact force above a predeter-
mined level in a side collision, the control
module causes both the SRS side airbag
and curtain airbag on the impacted side
to inflate regardless of whether the rear
wheel house impact sensor on the same
side senses an impact.
. the impact sensor that is located in the
airbag control module
. one of the center pillar impact sensors
or front door impact sensors
If both of the following sensors together sense an impact force above a predeter-
mined level in a side collision, the control
module causes
only the SRS curtain
airbag on the impacted side to inflate.
. the impact sensor that is located in the
airbag control module
. one of the rear wheel house impact
sensors
Even if a frontal collision occurs, both right
and left SRS curtain airbags will deploy
when the front sensor and the control unit
determine that the impact results from an
offset frontal collision.
The SRS curtain airbags are designed to
deploy under the following conditions.
. The driver ’s SRS frontal airbag deploys
or the driver ’s and passenger ’sSRS
frontal airbags deploy in a frontal collision.
. The system determines that the colli-
sion is an offset frontal collision.
. The vehicle is in an extremely inclined
state such as during a rollover.
The SRS curtain airbags are basically not
designed to deploy in the following cases.
. In a frontal collision when the SRS
frontal airbags do not deploy or the system
determines that the collision is other than
an offset frontal collision
. In most lesser inclined states If the rollover sensor detects rollover of the
vehicle, the control module inflates the
SRS curtain airbags
. At this time, the
driver ’s and front passenger ’s seatbelt
pretensioners also operate at the same
time.
After the deployment, the SRS side airbag
immediately starts to deflate. The time
required from detection of an impact to
deflation of an SRS side airbag after
deployment is shorter than the blink of
an eye.
The SRS curtain airbag remains inflated
for a while following deployment then
slowly deflates.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag deploy even when no one occupies
the seat on the side on which an impact is
applied.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are designed as follows:
. to deploy in the event of an accident
involvingamoderatetosevereside
impact collision
. to function on a one-time-only basis.
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag are not designed to deploy in the
following cases:
. in most lesser side impacts
1-62

.in most rear impacts (because the SRS
side airbag and SRS curtain airbag
deployment would not protect the occu-
pant in those situations)
The SRS side airbag and SRS curtain
airbag deployment depend on the level of
force experienced in the passenger com-
partment during a side impact 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 the type of accident
in which the SRS side airbag will
most likely deploy
A severe side impact near the front seat or
the rear seat.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag)
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