remove seats SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owners Manual

1-7
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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„Head restraint adjustment
To raise the head restraint, pull it up. To lower it, push
the head restraint down while pressing the release
button on the top of the seatback.
The head restraint should be adjusted so that the cen-
ter of the head restraint is closest to the top of the oc-
cupant’s ears.
Never drive the vehicle with the head restraints
removed because they are designed to reduce
the risk of serious neck injury in the event that
the vehicle is struck from the rear.
NOTE
If the seatback is reclined rearward to the same
level as the rear seat cushion with the head re-
straint removed, a wide flat bed is made available.
y Never drive your car with the seats converted
in a flat bed position. If you do so, occupants
will have a greater chance of being injured even
during simple deceleration, acceleration and
cornering since no firm restraint will be avail-
able for them. y Before you lie on the flat bed to take a rest,
read the description “Parking your vehicle” in
Chapter 7 carefully and follow the instructions.
UB1016BA

1-20
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
„
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retrac- tor (A/ELR)
Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Automatic/Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (A/ELR). The Automatic/
Emergency Locking Retractor normally functions as
an Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR). The A/ELR
has an additional locking mode “Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) mode” intended to secure a child re-
straint system. When the seatbelt is once drawn out
completely and is then retracted even slightly, the re-
tractor locks the seatbelt in that position and the seat-
belt cannot be extended. As the belt is rewinding,
clicks will be heard which indicate the retractor func-
tions as ALR. When the seatbelt is retracted fully, ALR
mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on the passen-
gers’ seats, the seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
When the child restraint system is removed, make
sure that the retractor is restored to the Emergency
Locking Retractor (ELR) function by allowing the seat-
belt to retract fully.
For instructions on how to convert the retractor to the
ALR mode and restore it to the ELR mode, see the
“Child restraint systems” section in this chapter. „
Seatbelt warning light and chime
Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt warning de-
vice at the driver’s seat.
This device causes the seatbelt warning light on the
instrument panel to light up for about six seconds
when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position
to remind the driver to wear the seatbelt. If the driver’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a warning chime sounds at
the same time. „ Fastening the seatbelt
yNever use a belt that is twisted or reversed. In
an accident, this can increase the risk or sever-
ity of injury.y Keep the lap belt as low as possible on your
hips. In a collision, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones instead of
across the weaker abdomen.y Seatbelts provide maximum restraint 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 seat-

10-7
Appearance care
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Cleaning the interior
Use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the dust and dirt.
Wipe the vinyl areas with a clean, damp cloth. „Seat fabric
Remove loose dirt, dust or debris with a vacuum
cleaner. If the dirt is caked on the fabric or hard to re-
move with a vacuum cleaner, use a soft blush then vacuum it.
Wipe the fabric surface with a tightly wrung cloth and
dry the seat fabric thoroughly. If the fabric is still dirty,
wipe using a solution of mild soap and lukewarm water
then dry thoroughly.
If the stain does not come out, try a commercially-
available fabric cleaner. Use the cleaner on a hidden
place and make sure it does not affect the fabric ad-
versely. Use the cleaner according to its instructions. „ Leather seat materials
The leather used by SUBARU is a high quality natural
product which will retain its distinctive appearance and
feel for many years with proper care.
Allowing dust or road dirt to build up on the surface can
cause the material to become brittle and to wear pre- maturely. Regular cleaning with a soft, moist, natural
fiber cloth should be performed monthly, taking care
not to soak the leather or allow water to penetrate the stitched seams.
A mild detergent suitable for cleaning woolen fabrics
may be used to remove difficult dirt spots, rubbing with
a soft, dry cloth afterwards to restore the luster. If your
SUBARU is to be parked for a long time in bright sun-
light, it is recommended that the seats and headrests
be covered, or the windows shaded, to prevent fading
or shrinkage.
Minor surface blemishes or bald patches may be treat-
ed with a commercial leather spray lacquer. You will
discover that each leather seat section will develop
soft folds or wrinkles, which is characteristic of genu-
ine leather. „
Synthetic leather upholstery
The synthetic leather material used on the SUBARU
may be cleaned using mild soap or detergent and wa-
ter, after first vacuuming or brushing away loose dirt.
Allow the soap to soak in for a few minutes and wipe
off with a clean, damp cloth. Commercial foam-type
cleaners suitable for synthetic leather materials may
be used when necessary.