warning light SUBARU OUTBACK 2012 5.G User Guide

The seat heater operates when the igni-
tion switch is either in the“Acc ”or “ON ”
position.
To turn on the seat heater, press the “ LOW ”or “HIGH ”position on the switch,
as desired, depending on the tempera-ture.
Selecting the “HIGH ”position will cause
the seat to heat up quicker.
To turn off the seat heater, slightly press
the opposite side of the current position.
The indicator located on the switch illumi-
nates when the seat heater is in operation.
When the vehicle ’s interior is warmed
enough or before you leave the vehicle,
be sure to turn the switch off.
CAUTION
. There is a possibility that people
with delicate skin may suffer
slight burns even at low tempera-
tures if they use the seat heater
for a long period of time. When
using the heater, always be sure
to warn the persons concerned. .
Do not put anything on the seat
which insulates against heat,
such as a blanket, cushion, or
similar items. This may cause the
seat heater to overheat.
NOTE
Use of the seat heater for a long period
of time while the engine is not running
can cause battery discharge. Rear seats
WARNING
Seatbelts provide maximum re-
straint when the occupant sits well
back and upright in the seat. 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 increase, and both can
result in serious internal injury ordeath. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-7
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&Folding down the rear seat- back
WARNING
. When you fold down the seat-
back, check that there are no
passengers or objects on the
rear seat. Not doing so creates
a risk of injury or property da-
mage if the seatback suddenly
folds down.
. Never allow passengers to ride
on the folded rear seatback or in
the cargo area or trunk. Doing so
may result in serious injury ordeath.
. Secure all objects and especially
long items properly to prevent
them from being thrown around
inside the vehicle and causing
serious injury during a sudden
stop, a sudden steering maneu-
ver or a rapid acceleration.
. When you return the seatback to
its original position, shake the
seatback slightly to confirm that
it is securely fixed in place. If the
seatback is not securely fixed in
place, the seatback may sud-
denly fold down in the event of
sudden braking, or objects may move out from the cargo area,
which could cause serious injury
or death.
. After returning the rear seat to its
original position, be certain to
place all of the seatbelts and the
tab attached to the seat cushion
above the seat cushion. Also,
make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible.
CAUTION
The rear seatback may fold down
quickly due to the internal spring.
Hold the seatback while pulling the
release lever to slow it down.
! Legacy
To fold down the seatback, perform the
following procedure.
1. Open the trunk lid. Refer to “Opening
the trunk lid (Legacy) ”F 2-9 or “To open
the trunk lid from inside ”F 2-24.1) Release lever
2. Pull the release lever on the side that
you want to fold down.
3. Fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securelylocked. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-9
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1-12Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
extended position. When the rear center
seating position is not occupied, lower the
head restraint to improve rearward visibi-
lity. &Armrest
To lower the armrest, pull on the armrest ’s
top edge.
WARNING
To avoid serious injury, passengers
must never be allowed to sit on the
center armrest while the vehicle is inmotion. Seatbelts &
Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-dent.
. All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
. Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or morepersons –even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
. Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious. .
Put children in the rear seat
properly restrained at all times.
The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, 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. Conse-
quently, we strongly recommend
that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those
that have outgrown child re-
straint devices) sit in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all
times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is
appropriate for the child ’s height
and weight.
Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) in the
REAR seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD
FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THECHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG.

1-14Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
When securing a child restraint system on
the rear seats by using a seatbelt, the
seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
For instructions on how to install the child
restraint system using a seatbelt, refer to“Installing child restraint systems with A/
ELR seatbelt ”F 1-26.
When the child restraint system is re-
moved, make sure that the retractor is
restored to the Emergency Locking Re-
tractor (ELR) mode by allowing the seat-
belt to retract fully. & Seatbelt warning light
and chime
Refer to “Seatbelt warning light and
chime ”F 3-9.
& Fastening the seatbelt
WARNING
. Never use a belt that is twisted or
reversed. In an accident, this can
increase the risk or severity of
injury.
. Keep the lap belt as low as
possible on your hips. In a colli-
sion, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones instead of across the weakerabdomen.
. Seatbelts 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 posi-
tion while the vehicle is running.
If the front seatbacks are not
used in the upright 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.
. 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 increase, and both can result
in serious internal injury ordeath.
WARNING
Never place the shoulder belt under
the arm or behind the back. If an
accident occurs, this can increase
the risk or severity of injury.
CAUTION
Metallic parts of the seatbelt can
become very hot in a vehicle that
has been closed up in sunny weath-
er; they could burn an occupant. Do
not touch such hot parts until theycool.

1-16Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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
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. !
Rear seatbelts (except rear center
seatbelt on Outback)
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 slowlyagain.3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.
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. ! Unfastening the seatbelt

1-22Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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
module with the airbag system. 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-
62.
& 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 air-
bag or could make the system inoperative, which may result in
serious injury. Do not use elec-
trical test equipment on any
circuit related to the seatbelt
pretensioner and airbag sys-
tems. For required servicing of
the seatbelt pretensioner, consult
your nearest SUBARU dealer.
CAUTION
The front sub sensors are located in
both front fenders and the airbag
control module including the impact
sensors is located under the center
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. &
Precautions against vehicle modification
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if
you want to install any accessory parts to
your vehicle.
CAUTION
Do not perform any of the following
modifications. Such modifications
can interfere with proper operation
of the seatbelt pretensioners. . Attachment of any equipment
(bush bar, winches, snow plow,
skid plate, etc.) other than genu-
ine SUBARU accessory parts to
the front end.
. Modification of the suspension
system or front end structure.
. Installation of a tire of different
size and construction from the
tires specified on the vehicle
placard attached to the door
pillar or specified for individual
vehicle models in this Owner ’s
Manual.

WARNING
Put children in the rear seat properly
restrained at all times. The SRS
airbag deploys with considerable
speed and force and can injure or
even kill children, especially if they
are not restrained or improperly
restrained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults, their
risk of being injured from deploy-
ment is greater.
For that reason, be sure to secure
ALL types of child restraint devices
(including forward facing child
seats) in the REAR seats at all times.
You should choose a restraint de-
vice which is appropriate for thechild ’s age, height and weight. Ac-
cording to accident statistics, chil-
dren are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi- tions.
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 THECHILD ’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. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-25
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other accessory in such a loca-
tion could be propelled through
the cabin with great force by the
curtain airbag, or it could prevent
correct deployment of the curtain
airbag. In either case, the result
could be serious injuries.
WARNING
Do not hang coat hangers or other
hard or pointed objects on the coat
hooks. If such items were hanging
on the coat hooks during deploy-
ment of the SRS curtain airbags,
they could cause serious injuries by
coming off the coat hooks and being
thrown through the cabin or by
preventing deployment of the cur- tain airbags.
Before hanging clothing on the coat
hooks, make sure there are no sharp
objects in the pockets. Hang cloth-
ing directly on the coat hooks with-
out using hangers.WARNING
Do not put any kind of cover or
clothes or other objects over either
front seatback and do not attach
labels or stickers to the front seat
surface on or near the SRS side
airbag. They could prevent proper
deployment of the SRS side airbag,
reducing protection available to the
front seat ’s occupant.
WARNING
Put children in the rear seat properly
restrained at all times. The SRS
airbag deploys with considerable
speed and force and can injure or
even kill children, especially if they
are not restrained or improperly
restrained. Bec ause children are
lighter and weaker than adults, their
risk of being injured from deploy-
ment is greater.
Consequently, we strongly recom-
mend that ALL children (including
those in child seats and those that
have outgrown child restraint de-
vices) sit in the REAR seat properly
restrained at all times in a child Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-39
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1) Front sub sensor (right-hand side)
2) Front sub sensor (left-hand side)
3) SRS airbag system warning light
4) Frontal airbag module (driver’s side) 5) Front passenger
’s frontal airbag ON and
OFF indicator
6) Frontal airbag module (front passenger ’s
side) 7) Airbag control module (including impact
sensor [all models] and rollover sensor [Outback])
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-43
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1-46Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
controlled by the SUBARU advanced
frontal airbag system. !Driver ’s SRS frontal airbag
The driver ’s SRS frontal airbag uses a
dual stage inflator. The inflator operates in
different ways depending on the severity
of impact.
Have the system inspected by your
SUBARU dealer immediately if the SRS
airbag system warning light illuminates. ! Front passenger ’s SRS frontal air-
bag
The front passenger ’s SRS frontal airbag
uses a dual stage inflator. The inflator
operates in different ways depending on
the severity of impact.
The total load on the seat is monitored by
the passenger ’s occupant detection sys-
tem weight sensor under the seat.
Using the total seat load and seatbelt
buckle switch, the occupant detection
system determines whether the frontpassenger ’s SRS frontal airbag should or
should not be inflated.
The occupant detection system may not
inflate the front passenger ’s SRS frontal
airbag even when the driver ’s SRS frontal
airbag deploys. This is normal.CAUTION
Observe the following precautions.
Failure to do so may prevent the
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag
system from functioning correctly
or cause the system to fail. . Do not apply any strong impact
to the front passenger ’sseat
such as by kicking.
. Do not spill liquid on the front
passenger ’s seat. If liquid is
spilled, wipe it off immediately.
. Do not remove or disassemble
the front passenger ’s seat.
. Do not install any accessory
(such as an audio amplifier) other
than a genuine SUBARU acces-
sory under the front passenger ’s
seat.
. Do not place anything (shoes,
umbrella, etc.) under the front passenger ’s seat.
. Do not use the front passenger ’s
seat with the head restraint re- moved.
. Do not leave any articles on the
front passenger ’s seat or the
seatbelt tongue and buckle en-
gaged when you leave your ve- hicle.
. Do not place a magnet near the
seatbelt buckle and the seatbelt
retractor.
. Do not use front seats with their
backward-forward position and
seatback not being locked into
place securely. If any of them are
not locked securely, adjust them
again. For adjusting procedure,
refer to “Manual seat ”F1-3
(models equipped with manual
seats only).
If the seatbelt buckle switch and/or frontpassenger ’s occupant detection system
have failed, the SRS airbag system
warning light will illuminate. Have the
system inspected by your SUBARU deal-
er immediately if the SRS airbag system
warning light illuminates.
If your vehicle has sustained impact, this
may affect the proper function of the
SUBARU advanced frontal airbag system.
Have your vehicle inspected at your
SUBARU dealer. ! Passenger ’s frontal airbag ON and
OFF indicators
Refer to “Front passenger ’s frontal airbag
ON and OFF indicators ”F 3-11.