SUBARU FORESTER 2006 Service Manual

1-12
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
systems” section in this chapter.„Seatbelt warning light
and chimeYour vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt
warning device at the driver’s seat, as re-
quired by current safety standards. There
is a seatbelt warning light in the combina-
tion meter.
If the driver has not yet fastened the seat-
belt when the ignition switch is turned to
the “ON” position, the seatbelt warning
light will flash for 6 seconds, to warn that
the seatbelt is unfastened. If the driver’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a chime will also
sound simultaneously.
If the driver’s seatbelt is still not fastened
6 seconds later, the warning light will re-
main lit for 15 seconds. If the driver’s seat-
belt is still not fastened even 15 seconds
later (21 seconds after turning ON the ig-
nition switch), the warning lights will alter-
nate between flashing and steady illumi-
nation at 15-second intervals, and the
chime will sound while the warning light is
flashing.
Alternate flashing and steady illumination
of the warning lights and sounding of the
chime will continue until the driver fastens
the seatbelt.
NOTEyIf the driver unfastens the seatbelt af-
ter fastening, the seatbelt warning de-
vice operates as follows according to
the vehicle speed. y At speeds lower than approximate-
ly 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate be-
tween flashing and steady illumina-
tion at 15-second intervals. The
chime will not sound.
y At speeds higher than approxi-
mately 9 mph (15 km/h)
The warning light will alternate be-
tween flashing and steady illumina-
tion at 15-second intervals and the
chime will sound while the warning
light is flashing.
y It is possible to cancel the warning
operation that follows the 6-second
warning after turning ON the ignition
switch by unfastening and refastening
the driver’s seatbelt. When the ignition
switch is turned ON next time, howev-
er, the complete sequence of warning
operation resumes. For further details
about canceling the warning operation,
please contact your SUBARU dealer.
„ Fastening the seatbeltyNever use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of in-
jury.yKeep the lap belt as low as possi-
ble on your hips. In a collision,
this spreads the force of the lap
belt over stronger hip bones in-
stead of across the weaker abdo-
men.ySeatbelts 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 position while
the vehicle is running. If the front
seatbacks are not used in the up-
right 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.
ProCarManuals.com

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-13
– CONTINUED –
TFront seatbelts
1. Adjust the seat position:
Driver’s seat: Adjust the seatback to the
upright position. Move the seatback 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 buckle,
return the belt slightly and pull it out more
slowly. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving it a
strong pull, then pull it out slowly again. 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.
y
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 in-
crease, and both can result in se-
rious internal injury or death.Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an ac-
cident occurs, this can increase the
risk or severity of injury.
100101
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can be-
come very hot in a vehicle that has
been closed up in sunny weather;
they could burn an occupant. Do not
touch such hot parts until they cool.
100102100103
ProCarManuals.com

1-14
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
VAdjusting 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.
To lower the anchor height, push the re-
lease button and slide the anchor down.
To raise the anchor height, slide the an-
chor up. Pull down on the anchor to make
sure that it is locked in place.
Always adjust the anchor height so that
the shoulder belt passes over the middle
of the shoulder without touching the neck.
V Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door. T
Rear seatbelts (except rear center
seatbelt)
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted. If
the belt stops before reaching the buckle,
return the belt slightly and pull it out more
slowly. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving a
strong pull on it, then pull it out slowly
again.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
100104
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.
100105
100102
ProCarManuals.com

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-15
– CONTINUED –
4. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
5. Place the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips, not on your waist. V
Adjusting the rear seat shoulder belt
anchor height (window-side seating
positions only)
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for
you.
To lower the anchor height, push the re-
lease button and slide the anchor down.
To raise the anchor height, slide the an-
chor up. Pull down on the anchor to make
sure that it is locked in place.
Always adjust the anchor height so that
the shoulder belt passes over the middle
of the shoulder without touching the neck.
V Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door.
100103
100104
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.
100105
ProCarManuals.com

1-16
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
TRear center seatbelt1) Center seatbelt tongue plate
2) Connector (tongue)
3) Connector (buckle)
4) Center seatbelt buckle
0
Rear center seatbelt is stowed in the re-
cess of the ceiling.
1. Remove the connector (tongue) plate
from the slot located at the front of the re-
cess by pulling the connector (tongue)
1
2
3 4
100603100108
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 twist-
ed.
100109
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.
100110
ProCarManuals.com

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-17
– CONTINUED –
plate rearward.
2. Pull out the seatbelt slowly from the
overhead retractor.1) Seatbelt comfort guide3. Pass the seatbelt through the seatbelt comfort guide located beside the head re-
straint.
4. After confirming that the webbing is not
twisted, insert the connector (tongue) at-
tached at the webbing end into the buckle
on the right-hand side until a click is heard.
If the belt stops before reaching the buck-
le, return the belt slightly and pull it out
more slowly. If the belt still cannot be un-
locked, let the belt retract slightly after giv-
ing it a strong pull, then pull it out slowly
again.
5. Insert the center seatbelt tongue plate
in the center seatbelt buckle marked
“CENTER” on the left-hand side until it
clicks.
6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
100111
1
100604
100113
100114100115
ProCarManuals.com

1-18
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
7. Place the lap belt as low as possible on
your hips, not on your waist.
VUnfastening the seatbelt
Push the release button of the center
seatbelt buckle (on the left-hand side) to
unfasten the seatbelt.NOTEWhen the seatback is folded down for
greater cargo area, it is necessary to
disconnect the connector.
0
1. Insert a key or other hard pointed ob-
ject into the slot in the connector (buckle)
on the right-hand side and push it in, and
the connector (tongue) plate will discon-
nect from the buckle. 2. Allow the retractor to roll up the belt.
You should hold the webbing end and
guide it back into the retractor while it is
rolling up. Neatly store the tongue plates
in the recess on the ceiling and then insert
the connector (tongue) plate into the slot
located at the front of the recess.
100116
100117100118
100119
ProCarManuals.com

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-19
– CONTINUED –
„Seatbelt maintenanceTo clean the seatbelts, use a mild soap
and lukewarm water. Never bleach or dye
the belts because this could seriously af- fect their strength.
Inspect the seatbelts and attachments in-
cluding the webbing and all hardware pe-
riodically for cracks, cuts, gashes, tears,
damage, loose bolts or worn areas. Re-
place the seatbelts even if only minor
damage is found.
Seatbelt extenderIf the front seatbelts are not long enough
to permit the tongue plate to engage with
the seatbelt buckle, an optional seatbelt
extender is available from your SUBARU
dealer. When ordering an extender, only
order one particularly designed for your
vehicle. Several different types of extend-
ers are available to match various variet-
ies of front seatbelt designs. See your
SUBARU dealer for assistance.
The extender adds approximately 8 inch-
es (200 mm) of length and it can be used
for either the driver or front passenger
seating position.
For the safety of others, the extender
should be removed after each use, espe-
cially if the next person using the seatbelt
does not need one.
Note that leaving the seatbelt extender’s
tongue plate engaged with the seatbelt
buckle may prevent the Subaru advanced
front airbag system from functioning cor-
rectly or cause the system to fail.
y
Do not allow the retractor to roll
up the seatbelt too quickly. Other-
wise, the metal tongue plates may
hit against the trim, resulting in
damaged trim.
y Have the seatbelt fully rolled up
so that the tongue plates are neat-
ly stored. A hanging tongue plate
can swing and hit against the trim
during driving, causing damage to
the trim.
100120
yKeep the belts free of polishes,
oils, chemicals and particularly
battery acid.
y Never attempt to make modifica-
tions or changes that will prevent
the seatbelt from operating prop-
erly.
Be sure to observe the following
when using the seatbelt extender.
ProCarManuals.com

1-20
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
NOTEWhen the seatbelt extender is used bya pregnant passenger, consult a doctor
to get approval in advance.
To connect the extender to the seatbelt,
insert the tongue plate into the seatbelt
buckle so that the “PRESS” signs on the
buckle-release buttons of the extender
and the seatbelt are both facing outward
as shown in the diagram. You will hear a
click when the tongue plate locks into the
buckle.
When releasing the seatbelt, press on the
buckle-release button on the extender, not
on the seatbelt. This helps to prevent
damage to the vehicle interior and extend-
er itself.
Front seatbelt pretensionersThe driver’s and front passenger’s seat-
belts have a seatbelt pretensioner. The
seatbelt pretensioners are designed to be
activated in the event of an accident in-
volving a moderate to severe frontal colli-
sion.
Also, the seatbelt pretensioners are de-
signed to be activated in the event of an
accident involving a moderate to severe
side impact collision.
The pretensioner sensor also serves as
the frontal and side SRS airbag sensors. If
the sensors detect a certain predeter-
mined amount of force during a frontal col-
lision or a side impact collision, the front
seatbelt is quickly drawn back in by the re-
Failure to follow these instructions
and warnings could reduce the ef-
fectiveness of the seatbelt and re-
sult in more serious injury in the
event of a collision.y
Never use the extender when the
belt itself is long enough to permit
it to be buckled properly. If remov-
al of heavy clothing is all that is
needed to permit the seatbelt to
be buckled properly, remove the
heavy clothing and do not use the
extender.yDo not use the extender if the
buckle of the extender rests over
the abdomen.yDo not let someone else use the
extender. Use of an extender
when it is not needed could re-
duce the effectiveness of the seat-
belt and result in more serious in-
jury in the event of a collision.yUse the extender only for the front
seatbelts and only for the model
for which it was originally provid-
ed. Never use the extender for the
rear seatbelts or for a different
model.
100605
100121
ProCarManuals.com

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-21
– CONTINUED –
tractor to take up the slack so that the belt
more effectively restrains the front seat
occupant.
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 can
not be pulled out and retracted and there-
fore must be replaced.NOTEySeatbelt pretensioners are not de-
signed to activate in minor frontal im-
pacts, in minor side impacts or in rear
impacts or in roll-over accidents.
y The driver’s seat and passenger’s
seat pretensioners and frontal SRS air-
bag operate simultaneously.
y The driver’s and passenger’s seat-
belt pretensioners and the SRS side
airbag operate simultaneously.
y 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 must be
replaced only by an authorized SUBARU dealer. When replacing seat-
belt retractor assemblies, use only
genuine SUBARU parts.
y
If either front seatbelt does not re-
tract or cannot be pulled out due to a
malfunction or activation of the preten-
sioner, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
y If the front seatbelt retractor assem-
bly or surrounding area has been dam-
aged, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible.
y When you sell your vehicle, we urge
you to explain to the buyer that it has
seatbelt pretensioners by alerting him
to the contents of this section.
y To obtain maximum protection,
the occupants should sit in an up-
right position with their seatbelts
properly fastened. Refer to the
“Seatbelts” section in this chap-
ter.
yDo not modify, remove or strike
the front seatbelt retractor assem-
blies or surrounding area. This
could result in accidental activa-
tion of the seatbelt pretensioners
or could make the system inoper-
ative, possibly resulting in seri-
ous injury. Seatbelt pretensioners
have no user-serviceable parts.
For required servicing of front
seatbelt retractors equipped with
seatbelt pretensioners, see your
nearest SUBARU dealer.yWhen discarding front seatbelt re-
tractor assemblies or scrapping
the entire vehicle due to collision
damage or for other reasons, con-
sult your SUBARU dealer.
ProCarManuals.com