SUBARU FORESTER 2001 SF / 1.G User Guide

Doors and locks
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbag
Instruments and controls
Climate control
1
3
4
Audio
Interior equipment
Starting and operating
In case of emergency
5 67 9
Appearance care
Maintenance and service
Specifications
Consumer information and Reporting safety defects13
Index14
10
11
12
2
Driving tips8
xi
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Table of contents

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Warranties
Warranties for U.S.A.
All SUBARU vehic les d istrib uted b y Sub aru of Americ a, Inc . and sold
at retail b y an authorized SUBARU d ealer in the Uni ted States c ome
with the following warranties:
SUBARU Limited Warranty
Emission Control Systems Warranty
Emissions Performanc e Warranty
All warranty information, inc lud ing d etails of c ove rag e and exc lusions,
is in the “Warranty and Maintenanc e Booklet”. Pleas e read these war-
ranties c arefully. Warranties for Canada
All SUBARU vehic les d istrib uted b y Sub aru Canad a, I nc . and sold at
retail b y an authorized SUBARU d ealer in Canad a c om e with the fol-
lowing warranties:
SUBARU Limited Warranty
Anti-Corrosion Warranty
Emission Control Warranty
All warranty information, inc lud ing d etails of c ove rag e and exc lusions,
is in the “Warranty and Servic e Booklet”. Please re ad these warranties
c arefully.
NOTE
This vehicle does not contain mercury devices or parts.

1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags Front seats1-2
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Seat heater (if equipped) 1-7
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear seats 1-8
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Seatbelts 1-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelt safety tips 1-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) 1-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) 1-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelt warning light and chime 1-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fastening the seatbelt 1-13
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Seatbelt maintenance 1-23
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Child restraint systems 1-23
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Top strap anchors 1-27
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 1-28 . . . . . . . .
Vehicle with driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS airbags and
lap/shoulder restraints 1-28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS frontal airbag 1-33
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS side airbag (if equipped) 1-40
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SRS airbag system monitors 1-47
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbag system servicing 1-48
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Precautions against vehicle modification 1-49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1-2
Front seats
WARNING
Never adjust the seat while driving to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of personal injury. Never drive the vehicle with the head restraints removed be-
cause they are designed to reduce the risk of serious neck injury
in the event that the vehicle is struck from the rear. Before adjusting the seat, make sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers are clear of the adjusting mechanism. Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. To reduce the risk of sliding un-der the seatbelt in a collision, the front seatbacks should be al-ways used in the upright position while the vehicle is running. Ifthe front seatbacks are not used in the upright position in a colli-
sion, the risk of sliding under the lap belt and of the lap belt slid-ing up over the abdomen will increase, and both can result in se-rious 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 or death. The SRS airbags deploy with considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag
deploys could suffer very serious injuries.
Because the SRS airbag needs enough space for deployment, thedriver should always sit upright and well back in the seat as farfrom the steering wheel as practical while still maintaining full ve-hicle control and the front passenger should move the seat as farback as possible and sit upright and well back in the seat. Put children aged 12 and under in the rear seat properly re-
strained at all times. The SRS airbag deploys 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 im-
properly restrained. Because children are lighter and weaker than

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-3
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adults, their risk of being injured from deployment is greater.
For that reason, we strongly recommend that ALL children (includ-
ing 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 ap-
propriate for the child
’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forward fac-
ing child seat) 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 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 seating
positions. For instructions and precautions concerning child re-
straint systems, see the “Child restraint systems ” section in this
chapter.
HS0234
HS0233
Adjust the seatback to upright position. Sit well back and upright.
Move the seat as far from the steering wheel as practical. Adjust the seatback toupright position. Sit well back and upright.Move the seat as far back as possible.

1-4
HS0247
HS0227
Put children in the rear seat properly restrained at all times.Do not recline the seatback while vehicle is moving.
Fore and aft adjustment
HS0028
Pull the lever up ward and slid e the seat to the d es ired p osition. Then
release the lever and move the seat b ac k and forth to make sure that
it is sec urely loc ked into p lac e.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-5
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Reclining the seatback
HS0029
Pull the rec lining lever up and ad just the seatb ac k to the d esired p osi-
tion. Then release the lever and make sure the seat b ac k is sec urely
loc ked into p lac e.
The seatb ac k p lac ed in a rec lined p osition c an sp ri ng b ac k up ward
with forc e when released . When op erating the rec lin ing lever to return
the seatb ac k, hold it lig htly so that it may b e rai sed b ac k g rad ually.
Seat cushion angle and height adjustment (driver ’s seat)
HS0030
For front edge
For rear edge
LowerRaise
Raise
Lower
Turn either d ial to ad just the ang le and heig ht of the seat c ushion to
the d esired p osition.

1-6
Head restraint adjustment
HS0031 OM-H2735
To raise the head restraint, p ull it up . To lower i t, p ush the head re-
straint d own while p ressing the release b utton on t he top of the seat-
b ac k.
The b est p osition for the head restraint is just ab ove or level with the
top of the ears.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-7
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Seat heater (if equipped)
CAUTION
Use of the seat heater for long period of time while the engine
is not running can cause battery discharge. Do not put anything on the seat which insulates against heat,
such as a blanket, cushion, or similar items. This may cause theseat heater to overheat. When cleaning the seat, do not use benzine, paint thinner, or
any similar materials.
The seat heater op erates when the ig nition switc h i s either in the “ACC ”
or “ON ” p osition.
HS0034HS0285
Indicator
HI LO
Heating element
To turn on the seat heater, p ush the
“LO ” or “HI ” p osition on the switc h,
as d esired , d ep end ing on the temp erature. LO: Normal heating
HI: Rap id heating
The ind ic ator loc ated on the switc h c omes on when t he seat heater is in
op eration. When the vehic le ’s interior is warmed enoug h or b efore you
leave the vehic le, b e sure to turn the switc h off.

1-8
Rear seats
WARNING
Never drive the vehicle with the head rest removed because
they are designed to reduce the risk of serious neck injury in the
event that the vehicle is struck from the rear. Seatbelts provide maximum restraint when the occupant sits
well back and upright in the seat. Do not put cushions or anyother materials between occupants and seatbacks or seat cush-ions. If you do so, the risk of sliding under the lap belt and of thelap belt sliding up over the abdomen will increase, and both canresult in serious internal injury or death. Never allow passengers to ride on the folded rear seatback or
in the cargo area. Doing so may result in serious injury or death. Never stack luggage or other cargo higher than the top of the
seatback because it could tumble forward and injure passengersin the event of a sudden stop or accident. Secure skis and other lengthy items properly to prevent them
from shooting forward and causing serious injury during a sud-den stop a sudden steering or a rapid acceleration.
HS0248
Sit well back and upright.