SUBARU TRIBECA 2008 Owner's Guide

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.NOTEUse of the seat heater for a long period
of time while the engine is not running
can cause battery discharge.
Rear seats (5-seater models)/
Second-row seats (7-seater
models)
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 or
death. .
Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of the
rear seat passengers are clear of
the adjusting mechanism (7-sea-
ter models only).
CAUTION
Never adjust the seat while driving.
Doing so is dangerous as the seat
could move rapidly and you could
be injured.
WARNING
Never stack luggage or other cargo
higher than the top of the seatback
because it could tumble forward and
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-8
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
injure passengers in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.&Fore and aft adjustment! 5-seater modelsPull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position. Then release the
lever and move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked into
place. !
7-seater models
Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position.When the right seat or the left seat pair is
slid rearward, it stops partway at the lock
point so as not to trap the legs of passengers sitting on the third-row seat.
It is possible to slide the seat or seat pair
further rearward by releasing the lock that
stops it. To do this, simultaneously pull the
lever under the outboard seat cushion and
turn the lever on the side of the seat
cushion outward when sliding the seat or
seat pair.
Once you have released the lock, you can
slide the seat or seat pair back and forth
with only the lever under the seat cushion
pulled. If you slide the seat or seat pair
forward of the lock point, you will need to
release the lock again before you can
slide it behind the point.
Then release the lever and move the seat
back and forth to make sure that it is
securely locked into place.
CAUTION
If you slide the seat or seat pair aft
of the lock point while the third-row
seat is occupied, be careful not to
trap the legs of the third-row pas-
sengers.
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&Reclining the seatback
WARNING
To prevent the passenger from slid-
ing under the seatbelt in the event of
a collision, always put the seatback
in the upright position while the
vehicle is in motion. Also, do not
place objects such as cushions
between the passenger and the
seatback. 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 or death.
CAUTION
. In a 7-seater model vehicle, never
allow the third-row seat passen-
gers to adjust the seatback of the
second row. Doing so is danger-
ous as the seatback will tilt
rapidly and could injure the pas-
sengers.
. If the cargo area cover is
equipped, be careful not to pinch
your hand between the headrest
and the cargo area cover when
you recline the rear seat.Pull the lever up and adjust the seatback
to the desired position.
Then release the lever and make sure the
seatback is securely locked into place.
& Folding down the seatback
WARNING
. After returning the 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. And
make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible.
. Never allow passengers to ride
on the folded seatback or in the
cargo area. Doing so may result
in serious injury or death.
. Secure skis and other lengthy
items properly to prevent them
from being thrown around inside
the vehicle and causing serious
injury during a sudden stop, a
sudden steering maneuver or a
rapid acceleration.
. If passengers are sitting on the
third-row seat, never drive while
folding the second-row seat. It
can be a serious interference at
the time of braking and impact.
. If passengers are sitting on the
third-row seat, never drive while
the center seatback of the sec-
ond-row seat is folded. Doing so
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-10
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
may result in serious injury in the
event of a hard braking or an
impact.
1. Slide the seat or seat pair to its
rearmost position.
2. Lower the head restraint to its lowest
position.
3. Unlock the seatback by pulling the
lever and then fold the seatback down.
4. To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place. Make sure it is securely locked.
By pulling the tab on the center seat, you
can fold only the seatback of the center
seat.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place. Make sure it is securely locked.
1) Bar
CAUTION
.Folding the seatback of the cen-
ter seat will expose the bar that
retains it in the raised position.
Be careful not to hurt yourself on
it. Especially, do not rest your
finger on the bar. Otherwise,
when the seatback is raised, your
finger could be pinched between
the bar and seatback and thus
injured.
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.Raise the seatback of the center
seat while taking care not to trap
your hands or other parts of the
body between the center seat
and window-side seat.NOTE1) HolderWith the seatback folded, attach the
tongue plate of each rear/second-row
seatbelt to the corresponding holder.
Do the same also before someone gets
into the third-row seat.
& Head restraint adjustment
WARNING
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.
! Window side seats
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sitting
height.
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 center of the head restraint is
closest to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
When the seats are not occupied, lower
the head restraints to improve rearward
visibility.
! Center seat
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sittingSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-12
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
height.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 center of the head restraint is
closest to the top of the occupant’s ears.
When the center seat is not occupied,
lower the head restraint to improve rear-
ward visibility.
& ArmrestTo lower the armrest, pull on the strap of
the armrest.
WARNING
To avoid the possibility of serious
injury, passengers must never be
allowed to sit on the center armrest
while the vehicle is in motion.
Third-row seat (7-seater
models)
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 or
death.
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WARNING
Never stack luggage or other cargo
higher than the top of the seatback
because it could tumble forward and
injure passengers in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.&Access to the third-row seatThere are levers on both sides of the
second-row seat. Each lever is used to
facilitate access to the third-row seat.
WARNING
In its slid-forward position with the
seatback tipped forward, the sec-
ond-row seat is not locked and free to move. Do not drive the vehicle
with the seat in this state or allow
anyone to sit on the seat unless it is
completely locked. Doing so may
result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION
When getting into or out of the third-
row seat, make sure the second-row
seat is in the completely slid-for-
ward position and be sure to watch
your step.
! To access the third-row seatRaise the lever. The seatback of the
second-row seat will tip forward and the
seat will slide forward. Before driving the vehicle, adjust the fore/
aft position of the second-row seat, raise
the seatback, and make sure the seatback
is securely locked in position.
!
To get out from the third-row seat
Raise the lever from the third-row seat.
The seatback of the second-row seat will
tip forward and the seat will slide forward.
Before driving the vehicle, adjust the fore/
aft position of the second-row seat, raise
the seatback, and make sure the seatback
is securely locked in position.
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-14
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
&Folding down the seatback
WARNING
. After returning the 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. And
make certain that the shoulder
belts are fully visible.
. Never allow passengers to ride
on the folded seatback or in the
cargo area. Doing so may result
in serious injury or death.
. Secure skis and other lengthy
items properly to prevent them
from being thrown around inside
the vehicle and causing serious
injury during a sudden stop, a
sudden steering maneuver or a
rapid acceleration.
Place the head restraint in its lowest
position, pull up the lever to release the
seatback lock, and fold down the seat-
back.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place. Make sure it is securely locked.
NOTE1) Holder. Before folding or raising the seat-
back of the third-row seat, confirm that
the seatbelt is flat against the sidewall
at the lower point and the webbing is
attached to the holder.
. When raising the seatback of the
third-row seat, if the seatbelt catches
on the seatback, hold the belt forward
of the seatback while latching the
seatback.
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&Head restraint adjustment
WARNING
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.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 center of the head restraint is
closest to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
When the seats are not occupied, lower the head restraints to improve rearward
visibility.
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sitting
height.
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 more
persons –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 aged 12 and under inSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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1-16
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
a 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
12 years of age and under and
are not restrained or improperly
restrained. 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 a 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.
Always secure ALL types of child
restraint devices (including for-
ward facing child seats) in one of
the rear seating positions recom-
mended in this Owner ’s Manual.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD
FACING CHILD SEAT IN THE
FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS
SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO
THE CHILD BY PLACING THE
CHILD ’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. For instructions
and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, refer to
the
“Child restraint systems ”
section in this chapter.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt(s) by the
driver and front passenger when any of
the SRS frontal, side and curtain airbags
deploy.
! Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. Refer to the
information on “Child restraint systems ”in
this chapter.
! Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint
system, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions. Never allow a child to
stand up or kneel on the seat. If the shoulder portion of the belt crosses
the face or neck, adjust the shoulder belt
anchor height (window-side seating posi-
tions only) and then if necessary move the
child closer to the belt buckle to help
provide a good shoulder belt fit. Care must
be taken to securely place the lap belt as
low as possible on the hips and not on the
child
’s waist. If the shoulder portion of the
belt cannot be properly positioned, a child
restraint system should be used. Never
place the shoulder belt under the child ’s
arm or behind the child ’s back.
! Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the
seatbelts. They should consult their doctor
for specific recommendations. The lap belt
should be worn securely and as low as
possible over the hips, not over the waist.
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