child restraint SUBARU FORESTER 2006 Owners Manual

3
– CONTINUED –
Vehicle symbolsThere are some of the symbols you may
see on your vehicle.
Mark Name
CAUTION
Power door lock
Passenger’s windows lock
Fuel
Front fog lights
Parking lights
Hazard warning flasher
Cigarette lighter
Engine hood
Seat heater
Child restraint top tether an-
chorages
Child restraint lower anchor-
ages
Horn
Windshield wiper deicer
Wiper intermittent
Windshield washer
Windshield wiper mist (for
single wipe)
Rear window wiper
Rear window washer
Mark Name
Lights
Parking lights, tail lights, li-
cense plate light and instru-
ment panel illumination
Head lights
Headlight beam leveler
Illumination brightness
Fan speed
Instrument panel outlets
Instrument panel outlets and
foot outlets
Foot outlets
Windshield defroster and
foot outlets
Windshield defroster
Mark Name
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5
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„Child safety
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint
systems”,“*SRS airbag (Supplemental
Restraint System airbag)”, and “Seatbelts”
in chapter 1 of this owner’s manual for in-
structions and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, seatbelt system
and SRS airbag system.
yNever hold a child on your lap or
in your arms while the vehicle is
moving. The passenger cannot
protect the child from injury in a
collision, because the child will be
caught between the passenger
and objects inside the vehicle.yWhile 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 child should sit in the
REAR seat and be restrained us-
ing the seatbelts. According to ac-
cident statistics, children are saf-
er when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the
front seating positions. Never al-
low a child to stand up or kneel on
the seat.
yPut children aged 12 and under in
the REAR seat properly restrained
at all times in a child restraint de-
vice or in a seatbelt. The SRS air-
bag 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 improp-
erly restrained. Because children
are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk being injured
from deployment is greater.yNEVER 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.yAlways use the child safety locks
whenever a child rides in the rear
seat. Serious injury could result if
a child accidentally opened the
door and fell out. Refer to the
“Child safety locks” section in
chapter 2.
yAlways lock the passenger’s win-
dows using the lock switch when
children are riding in the vehicle.
Failure to follow this procedure
could result in injury to a child op-
erating the power window. Refer
to the “Windows” section in chap-
ter 2.yNever leave unattended children
in the vehicle. They could acci-
dentally injure themselves or oth-
ers through inadvertent operation
of the vehicle. Also, on hot or sun-
ny days, temperature in a closed
vehicle could quickly become
high enough to cause severe or
possibly fatal injuries to them.
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12

„InteriorT Passenger compartment area
12 3
45
6
000122
1) Lower anchorage for child restraint
system (page 1-31)
2) Seatbelt (page 1-10)
3) Moonroof (page 2-21)
4) Parking brake lever (page 7-24)
5) Front seat (page 1-2)
6) Rear seat (page 1-7)
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1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats .......................................................... 1-2
Manual seat ............................................................. 1-3
Power seat (if equipped) ........................................ 1-4
Lumbar support (Driver’s seat only) ..................... 1-5
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-5
Active head restraint .............................................. 1-6
Seat heater (if equipped) ................................... 1-6
Rear seats ........................................................... 1-7
Head restraint adjustment ..................................... 1-7
Folding down the rear seatback ............................ 1-8
Armrest (if equipped) ......................................... 1-9
Seatbelts ............................................................. 1-10
Seatbelt safety tips ................................................. 1-10
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) .................... 1-11
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) .................................................................. 1-11
Seatbelt warning light and chime .......................... 1-12
Fastening the seatbelt ............................................ 1-12
Seatbelt maintenance ............................................. 1-19
Seatbelt extender ............................................... 1-19
Front seatbelt pretensioners ............................. 1-20
System monitors .................................................... 1-22
System servicing .................................................... 1-23
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-23
Child restraint systems ..................................... 1-24
Where to place a child restraint system ............... 1-25
Choosing a child restraint system ........................ 1-26
Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR
seatbelt .................................................................. 1-27 Installing a booster seat ......................................... 1-30
Installation of child restraint systems by use of
lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) ............... 1-31
Top tether anchorages ........................................... 1-34
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) .............................................................. 1-36
Vehicle with driver’s and front passenger’s SRS
airbags and lap/shoulder restraints ................... 1-36
Subaru advanced frontal airbag system .............. 1-41
SRS side airbag (if equipped) ................................ 1-53
SRS airbag system monitors ................................. 1-58
SRS airbag system servicing ................................ 1-59
Precautions against vehicle modification ............ 1-60
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1-2
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seatsyNever adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of loss
of vehicle control and of personal
injury.yBefore adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers are clear of the
adjusting mechanism.ySeatbelts 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 position while
the vehicle is running. If the front
seatbacks are not used in the up-
right 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.
yThe SRS airbags deploy with con-
siderable speed and force. Occu-
pants who are out of proper posi-
tion when the SRS airbag deploys
could suffer very serious injuries.
Because the SRS airbag needs
enough space for deployment, the
driver should always sit upright
and well back in the seat as far
from the steering wheel as practi-
cal while still maintaining full ve-
hicle control and the front passen-
ger should move the seat as far
back as possible and sit upright
and well back in the seat.
100082
Put children aged 12 and under 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 12 years of age
and under and are not restrained or
improperly restrained. Because chil-
dren 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 out-
grown child restraint devices) sit in
the REAR seat properly restrained
at all times in a child restraint device
or in a seatbelt, whichever is appro-
priate for the child’s age, height and
weight. Secure ALL types of child
restraint devices (including forward
facing 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.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-3
– CONTINUED –
„Manual seatT Fore and aft adjustment
Pull the lever upward and slide the seat to
the desired position. Then release the le-
ver and move the seat back and forth to
make sure that it is securely locked into
place. T
Reclining the seatback
Pull the reclining lever up and adjust the
seatback to the desired position. Then re-
lease the lever and make sure the seat-
back is securely locked into place.
The seatback placed in a reclined position
can spring back upward with force when
released. When operating the reclining le-
ver to return the seatback, hold it lightly so
that it may be raised back gradually.According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly re-
strained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precau-
tions concerning child restraint sys-
tems, see the “Child restraint sys-
tems” section in this chapter.
100595
100596
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 ve-
hicle 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 inter-
nal injury or death.
100085
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1-10
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seatbelts„Seatbelt safety tips
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt(s) by the
driver and/or front passenger when any of
the SRS frontal and side airbags deploys.
T Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is suit-
able for your vehicle. See information on
“Child restraint systems” in this chapter.
T Children
If a child is too big for a child restraint sys-
tem, the child should sit in the rear seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts. Ac-
y All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE the
vehicle starts to move. Otherwise,
the possibility of serious injury
becomes greater in the event of a
sudden stop or accident.yAll belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose fit-
ting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.yEach seatbelt is designed to sup-
port only one person. Never use a
single belt for two or more per-
sons – even children. Otherwise,
in an accident, serious injury or
death could result.yReplace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attaching
hardware worn by occupants of a
vehicle that has been in a serious
accident. The entire assembly
should be replaced even if dam-
age is not obvious.
yPut children aged 12 and under in
the 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 re-
strained. Because children are
lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from de-
ployment is greater. Consequent-
ly, 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 re-
strained at all times in a child re-
straint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for the
child’s height and weight.Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including forward
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 THE
CHILD’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO
THE SRS AIRBAG. According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating posi-
tions than in the front seating po-
sitions. For instructions and pre-
cautions concerning the child re-
straint system, see the “Child re-
straint systems” section in this
chapter.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-11
– CONTINUED –
cording 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 pro-
vide 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. T
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.
„ Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ELR)The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency
Locking Retractor (ELR).
The emergency locking retractor allows
normal body movement but the retractor
locks automatically during a sudden stop,
impact or if you pull the belt very quickly
out of the retractor.
„Automatic/Emergency Lock-
ing Retractor (A/ELR)Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Auto-
matic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/
ELR). The Automatic/Emergency Locking
Retractor normally functions as an Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (ELR). The A/
ELR has an additional locking mode “Au-
tomatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode” in-
tended to secure a child restraint system.
When the seatbelt is once drawn out com-
pletely and is then retracted even slightly,
the retractor locks the seatbelt in that po-
sition and the seatbelt cannot be extend-
ed. As the belt is rewinding, clicks will be
heard which indicate the retractor func-
tions as an ALR. When the seatbelt is re-
tracted fully, the ALR mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on
the rear seats by the use of the seatbelt,
the seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
When the child restraint system is re-
moved, make sure that the seatbelt re-
tracts fully and the retractor returned to
the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
mode.
For instructions on how to convert the re-
tractor to the ALR mode and restore it to
the ELR mode, see the “Child restraint
100100
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1-24
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Child restraint systemsInfants and small children should always
be placed in an infant or child restraint
system in the rear seat while riding in the
vehicle. You should use an infant or child
restraint system that meets Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards or Canada Mo-
tor Vehicle Safety Standards, is compati-
ble with your vehicle and is appropriate for
the child’s age and size. All child restraint
systems are designed to be secured in ve-
hicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt por-
tion of a lap/shoulder belt (except those
covered under the section in this manual,
entitled “Installation of child restraint sys-
tems by use of lower and tether anchorag-
es (LATCH)”).Children could be endangered in an acci-
dent if their child restraints are not proper-
ly secured in the vehicle. When installing
the child restraint system, carefully follow
the manufacturer’s instructions.
According to accident statistics, children
are safer when properly restrained in the
rear seating positions than in the front
seating positions.
All U.S. states and Canadian provinces
require that infants and small children be
restrained in an approved child restraint
system at all times while the vehicle is
moving.
100607
100125
Never let a passenger hold a child
on his or her lap or in his or her arms
while the vehicle is moving. The
passenger cannot protect the child
from injury in a collision, because
the child will be caught between the
passenger and objects inside the
vehicle.Additionally, holding a child in your
lap or arms in the front seat exposes
that child to another serious danger.
Since the SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force, the
child could be injured or even killed.
100126
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-25
– CONTINUED –
„Where to place a child re-
straint systemThe following are SUBARU’s recommen-
dations on where to place a child restraint
system in your vehicle. A: Front passenger’s seat
You should not install a child restraint sys-
tem (including a booster seat) due to the
hazard to children posed by the passen-
ger’s airbag.
B: Rear seat, window-side seating po-
sitions
Recommended positions for all types of
child restraint systems.
In these positions, Automatic/Emergency
Locking Retractor (A/ELR) seatbelts and
lower anchorages (bars) are provided for
installing a child restraint system.
Some types of child restraints might not
be able to be secured firmly due to projec-
tion of the seat cushion.
In this seating position, you should use
only a child restraint system that has abottom base that fits snugly against the
contours of the seat cushion and can be
securely retained using the seatbelt.
C: Rear seat, center seating position
Installing a child restraint system is not
recommended, although the A/ELR seat-
belt and an upper anchorage (tether an-
chorage) are provided in this position.
Some types of child restraints might not
be able to be secured firmly due to projec-
tion of the seat cushion.
In this seating position, you should use
only a child restraint system that has a
bottom base that fits snugly against the
contours of the seat cushion and can be
securely retained using the seatbelt.Children should be properly re-
strained at all times. Never allow a
child to stand up, or to kneel on any
seat. Unrestrained children will be
thrown forward during sudden stop
or in an accident and can be injured
seriously.Additionally, children standing up
or kneeling on or in front of the front
seat are exposed another serious
danger. Since the SRS airbag de-
ploys with considerable speed and
force, the child could be injured or
even killed.
100127
Put children aged 12 and under 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 12 years of age
and under and are not restrained or
improperly restrained. Because chil-
dren are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk of being injured
from deployment is greater.
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