airbag SUBARU FORESTER 2002 SG / 2.G Owners Manual

ii
How to use this owner’s manual
Using your Owner ’s manual
Before you operate your vehicle, carefully read this manual. To protect yourself and extend the service life of your vehicle, follow the instructions
in this manual. Failure to observe these instructions may result in serious
injury and damage to your vehicle.
This manual is composed of fourteen chapters. Each chapter begins with a brief table of contents, so you can usually tell at a glance if that
chapter contains the information you want. Chapter 1: Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
This chapter informs you how to use the seat and seatbelt and contains
precautions for the SRS airbags.Chapter 2: Keys and doors
This chapter informs you how to operate the keys, locks and windows.Chapter 3: Instruments and controls
This chapter informs you about the operation of instrument panel indica-tors and how to use the instruments and other switches.Chapter 4: Climate control
This chapter informs you how to operate the climate control.Chapter 5: Audio
This chapter informs you how to operate your audio system.Chapter 6: Interior equipment
This chapter informs you how to operate interior equipment.Chapter 7: Starting and operating
This chapter informs you how to start and operate your SUBARU.Chapter 8: Driving tips
This chapter informs you how to drive your SUBARU in various condi-tions and explains some safety tips on driving.Chapter 9: In case of emergency
This chapter informs you what to do if you have a problem while driving,
such as a flat tire or engine overheating.Chapter 10: Appearance care
This chapter informs you how to keep your SUBARU looking good.

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Safety symbol
HS0008
You will find a circle with a slash through it in this manual. This symbol means “Do not ”, “Do not do this ”, or “Do not let this happen ”, depending
upon the context.
Safety precautions when driving
SEATBELT AND SRS AIRBAG
WARNING
All persons in the vehicle should fasten their seatbelts BE-
FORE the vehicle starts to move. Otherwise, the possibility of se-
rious injury becomes greater in the event of a sudden stop or ac-cident. To obtain maximum protection in the event of an accident, the
driver and all passengers in the vehicle should always wear seat-
belts when the vehicle is moving. The SRS (SupplementalRestraint System) airbag does not do away with the need to fas-ten seatbelts. In combination with the seatbelts, it offers the bestcombined protection in case of a serious accident.Not wearing a seatbelt increases the chance of severe injury ordeath in a crash even when the car has the SRS airbag. The SRS airbags deploy with considerable speed and force.
Occupants who are out of proper position when the SRS airbag

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deploys could suffer very serious injuries. Because the SRS air- bag needs enough space for deployment, the driver should al-ways sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steeringwheel as practical while still maintaining full vehicle control and
the front passenger should move the seat as far back as possibleand sit upright and well back in the seat.
Carefully read the sections “Seat, seatbelts and SRS airbag ” in chapter 1
of this owner ’s manual for instructions and precautions concerning the
seatbelt system and SRS airbag system. CHILD SAFETY
WARNING
Never hold a child on your lap or in your arms while the ve-
hicle is moving. The passenger cannot protect the child from in- jury in a collision, because the child will be caught between the
passenger and objects inside the vehicle. While riding in the vehicle, infants and small children should
always be placed in the REAR seat in an infant or child restraint
system which is appropriate for the child ’s age, height and
weight. If a child is too big for a child restraint system, the childshould sit in the REAR seat and be restrained using the seatbelts.According to accident statistics, children are safer when properlyrestrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seatingpositions. Never allow a child to stand up or kneel on the seat. Put children aged 12 and under in the REAR seat properly re-
strained at all times in a child restraint device or in a seatbelt. TheSRS airbag deploys with considerable speed and force and caninjure or even kill children, especially if they are 12 years of ageand under and are not restrained or improperly restrained. Be-
cause children are lighter and weaker than adults, their risk being
injured from deployment is greater. NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILD SAFETY SEAT
IN THE FRONT SEAT. DOING SO RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR
DEATH TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO

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CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG. Always use the child safety locks whenever a child rides in the
rear seat. Serious injury could result if a child accidentallyopened the door and fell out. Refer to the “Door locks ” section in
chapter 2. Always lock the passenger ’s windows using the lock switch
when children are riding in the vehicle. Failure to follow this pro-cedure could result in injury to a child operating the power win-
dow. Refer to the “Power windows ” section in chapter 2.
Never leave unattended children in the vehicle. They could ac-
cidentally injure themselves or others through inadvertent opera-
tion of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny days, temperature in a
closed vehicle could quickly become high enough to cause se-vere or possibly fatal injuries to them. Help prevent young children from locking themselves in the
trunk. When leaving the vehicle, either close all windows and lockall doors or cancel the inside trunk lid release. Also make certainthat the trunk is closed. On hot or sunny days, the temperature ina trunk could quickly become high enough to cause death or seri-ous heat-related injuries including brain damage, particularly for
small children.
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint systems ”, “SRS airbag ”, and
“Seatbelts” in chapter 1 of this owner ’s manual for instructions and pre-
cautions concerning the child restraint system, seatbelt system and SRSairbag system. ENGINE EXHAUST GAS (CARBON MONOXIDE)
WARNING
Never inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine exhaust gas contains
carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas which is danger- ous, or even lethal, if inhaled. Always properly maintain the engine exhaust system to pre-
vent engine exhaust gas from entering the vehicle.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Keys and doors
Instruments and controls
Climate control
2
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
1
Driving tips8
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Table of contents

1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags Front seats1-2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seat heater (if equipped) 1-9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Rear seats 1-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Armrest (if equipped) 1-10
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Headrest adjustment — Rear center seating position on Station wagon 1-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Folding down the rear seat — Station wagon 1-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelts 1-16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelt safety tips 1-16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) 1-17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) 1-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelt warning light and chime 1-18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fastening the seatbelt 1-18
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seatbelt maintenance 1-28
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Front seatbelt pretensioners 1-29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Child restraint systems 1-33
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Top tether anchorages 1-40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) 1-43 . . . . . . . .
Vehicle with driver ’s and front passenger ’s SRS airbags and
lap/shoulder restraints 1-43
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS frontal airbag 1-48
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS side airbag (if equipped) 1-55
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbag system monitors 1-62
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SRS airbag system servicing 1-63
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Precautions against vehicle modification 1-64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1-2
Front seatsWARNING
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 air-bag needs enough space for deployment, the driver should al-ways sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steeringwheel as practical while still maintaining full vehicle control and
the front passenger should move the seat as far back as possibleand 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 (including
those in child seats and those that have outgrown child restraint
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 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.
HB0290
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.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-5
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nPower seat (if equipped)
HB1060BA
To adjust the seat forward or backward, move the control switch for-
ward or backward. Seat cushion angle and height adjustment (Power seat only)
HB1062BA
HB1078BA
To adjust the angle and height of the seat cushion, move the control
switch in the corresponding direction.

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags1-7
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NOTE While adjusting the seatback, you can not at the same time adjust the seat position or the seat cushion angle and height. Head restraint adjustment
HB1016BA
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 theseatback.
The head restraint should be adjusted so that the center of the head
restraint is closest to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
NOTE If the seatback is reclined rearward to the same level as the rear seat cushion with the head restraint removed, a wide flat bed ismade available.
WARNING
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 andcornering since no firm restraint will be available for them. Before you lie on the flat bed to take a rest, read the descrip-
tion “ Parking your vehicle ” in Chapter 7 carefully and follow the
instructions.