2017 SUBARU OUTBACK warning

4. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
6. Place the lap belt as low as possible
on your hips, not on your waist.!
Adjusting the front seat shoulder
belt anchor height
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for the
driver/front passenger. Always adjust the
anchor height so that the shoulder belt
passes over the middle of the shoulder
without touching the neck.
To raise:
Slide the anchor up.
To lower:
Push the upper part of the anchor and
slide the anchor down.
Pull down the anchor to make sure that it
is locked in place.
WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make
sure the shoulder portion of the
webbing does not pass over your
neck. If it does, adjust the seatbelt
anchor to a lower position. Placing
the shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sudden
braking or in a collision.
! Unfastening the seatbelt
1. Push the button on the buckle.
2. Have the seatbelt retracted slowly to
avoid the seatbelt being tangled or
twisted.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED –1-19

WARNING
Fastening the seatbelt with the web-
bing twisted can increase the risk or
severity of injury in an accident.
When fastening the belt after it is
pulled out from the retractor, espe-
cially when inserting the connec-
tor’s tongue plate into the mating
buckle (on right-hand side), always
check that the webbing is not
twisted.
WARNING
Be sure to fasten both tongue plates
to the respective buckles. If the
seatbelt is used only as a shoulder
belt (with the connector ’s tongue
plate not fastened to the connec-
tor ’s buckle on the right-hand side),
it cannot properly restrain the wear-
er in position in an accident, possi-
bly resulting in serious injury or
death.
Rear center seatbelt is stowed in the
recess of the ceiling.
1. Retrieve the connector (tongue) plate
from the slot in the recess by pulling the
connector (tongue) plate.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Seatbelts
–CONTINUED –1-21

the belt more effectively restrains the
driver.
When a seatbelt pretensioner is activated,
an operating noise will be heard and a
small amount of smoke will be released.
These occurrences are normal and not
harmful. This smoke does not indicate a
fire in the vehicle.
Once the seatbelt pretensioner has been
activated, the seatbelt retractor remains
locked. Consequently, the seatbelt cannot
be pulled out and retracted and therefore
must be replaced.
NOTE
.Seatbelt pretensioners are not de-
signed to activate in minor impacts.
. In cases of rollover accidents, as the
SRS curtain airbags deploy, the seat-
belt pretensioners are activated simul-
taneously.
. In cases of frontal collisions, the
following components will operate si-
multaneously.
–Seatbelt pretensioner for driver
– Seatbelt pretensioner for front
passenger
– SRS frontal airbag for driver
– SRS frontal airbag for front pas-
senger*
– SRS seat cushion airbag for driver
–
SRS seat cushion airbag for front
passenger*
– SRS curtain airbags (both sides)
(if an offset frontal collision occurs)
*: This does not operate if the occupant
detection system deactivates airbag op-
eration. For details, refer to “Front
passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag ”F 1-52.
. In cases of side collisions, the
following components will operate si-
multaneously.
–SRS curtain airbag (impacted
side)
– SRS side airbag (impacted side)
(when any of the center pillar im-
pact sensors/front door impact sen-
sors senses an impact force)
– Seatbelt pretensioner for driver
(when the driver ’s side front door
impact sensor senses an impact
force)
– Seatbelt pretensioner for front
passenger (when the front passen-
ger ’s side front door impact sensor
senses an impact force)
. Pretensioners are designed to func-
tion on a one-time-only basis. In the
event that a pretensioner is activated,
both the driver ’s and front passenger ’s
seatbelt retractor assemblies should
be replaced only by an authorized SUBARU dealer. When replacing seat-
belt retractor assemblies, use only
genuine SUBARU parts.
.
If either front seatbelt does not
retract or cannot be pulled out due to
a malfunction or activation of the
pretensioner, contact your SUBARU
dealer as soon as possible.
. If the front seatbelt retractor assem-
bly or surrounding area has been
damaged, contact your SUBARU dealer
as soon as possible.
. When you sell your vehicle, we urge
you to explain to the buyer that it has
seatbelt pretensioners by alerting the
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 1-16.
. 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
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seatbelt pretensioners
–CONTINUED –1-25

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Front seatbelt pretensioners
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
modulewiththeSRSairbagsystem.
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 1-68.
& 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.
CAUTION
The sensors and SRS airbag control
module are located in the following
locations.
. Front sub sensors: on both sides
of the radiator panel
. Front door impact sensors: on
both front doors
. SRS airbag control module (in-
cluding the impact sensors and
rollover sensor): under the cen-
ter console
If you need service or repair in those
areas or near the front seatbelt
retractors, have the work performed
by your authorized SUBARU dealer.
NOTE
If the front 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.
1-26

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, the following equip-
ment is provided for installing a child
restraint system.
1-28

.Automatic Locking Retractor/Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) seat-
belts
. Lower anchorages (bars)
. Upper anchorages (tether anchorages)
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 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.
. Do not connect two or more
lower hooks onto the same an-
chorage (bar).
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
–CONTINUED –1-29

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
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
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 United States or
Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
for Canada. It can be identified by looking
for the label on the child restraint system
or the manufacture ’s statement of com-
pliance in the document attached to the
system. Also it is important for you to
make sure that the child restraint system
is compatible 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 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.
1-30

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags/Child restraint systems
6. Push and pull the child restraint
system forward and side to side to check
that it is firmly secured in the center of the
seat. Sometimes a child restraint can be
more firmly secured by pushing it down
into the seat cushion and then tightening
the seatbelt.
7. If the seatbelt has been set to the ALR
mode in step 5, pull at the shoulder portion
of the belt to confirm that it cannot be
pulled out (ALR properly functioning).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 ”F 1-
14.
1-32