SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owners Manual

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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
The SRS airbag can function only when the ignition
switch is in the “ON” position.
If the front sub sensors inside the both front fenders
and the impact sensors in the airbag control module
detect a certain predetermined amount of force during
a frontal collision, the control module sends signals to
the frontal airbag modules instructing them to inflate
the SRS frontal airbags. Then both airbag modules
produce gas, which instantly inflates driver’s and pas-
senger’s SRS frontal airbags. After the deployment,
the SRS airbags immediately start to deflate so that
the driver’s vision is not obstructed. The time required
from detecting impact to the deflation of the SRS air-
bag after deployment is shorter than the blink of aneye.
The front passenger’s SRS frontal airbag deploys to-
gether with driver’s SRS frontal airbag even when no
one occupies the front passenger’s seat.
When the SRS frontal airbags deploy, the driver’s and
front passenger’s seatbelt pretensioners operate at
the same time.
Although it is highly unlikely that the SRS airbag would
activate in a non-accident situation, should it occur,
the SRS airbag will deflate quickly, not obscuring vi-
sion and will not interfere with the driver’s ability to
maintain control of the vehicle.
When the SRS airbag deploys, a sudden, fairly loud
inflation noise will be heard and some smoke will be
released. These occurrences are normal result of the
deployment. This smoke does not indicate a fire in thevehicle.
Do not touch the SRS airbag system compo-
nents around the steering wheel and dash-
board with bare hands right after deployment.
Doing so can cause burns because the compo-
nents can be very hot as a result of deployment.
The SRS frontal airbag is designed to deploy in the
event of an accident involving a moderate to severe
frontal collision. It is basically not designed to deploy
in lesser frontal impacts because the necessary pro-
tection can be achieved by the seatbelt alone. Also, it
is basically not designed to deploy in side or rear im-
pacts or in roll-over accidents because deployment of
the SRS frontal airbag would not help the occupant in
those situations. The SRS airbag is designed to func-
tion on a one-time-only basis.
SRS airbag deployment depends on the level of force

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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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experienced in the passenger compartment during a
collision. That level differs from one type of collision to
another, and it may have no bearing on the visible
damage done to the vehicle itself. VExamples of accident in which the SRS frontal
airbag will most likely deploy.
A head-on collision against a thick concrete wall at a
vehicle speed of 12 to 19 mph (20 to 30 km/h) or high-
er activates the SRS frontal airbag. The SRS frontal
airbag will also be activated when the vehicle is ex-
posed to a frontal impact similar in fashion and magni-
tude to the above-mentioned collision. V
Examples of the types of accidents in which it
is possible that the SRS frontal airbag will de-
ploy.
The SRS frontal airbag may be activated when the ve-
hicle sustains a hard impact in the undercarriage area
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
from the road surface (such as when the vehicle
plunges into a deep ditch, is severely bumped or
knocked hard against an obstacle on the road such as a curb).
V
Examples of the types of accidents in which the
SRS frontal airbag is unlikely to deploy.
There are many types of collisions which might not
necessarily require SRS frontal airbag deployment. If
the vehicle strikes an object, such as a telephone pole
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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or sign pole, or if it slides under a truck’s load bed, or
if it sustains an oblique offset frontal impact, the SRS
frontal airbag may not deploy depending on the level
of accident forces involved. V
Examples of the types of accidents in which the
SRS frontal airbag will basically not deploy.
The SRS frontal airbag is basically not designed to de-
ploy if the vehicle is struck from side or from behind, or
if it rolls onto its side or roof, or if it is involved in a low-
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
speed frontal collision.
1) First impact!
2) Second impact!!
In an accident where the vehicle is impacted more
than once, the SRS frontal airbag deploys only once.
Example: In the case of a double collision, first with an-
other vehicle, then against a concrete wall in immedi-
ate succession, once the SRS frontal airbag is activat-
ed on the first impact, it will not be activated on the second. „
SRS side airbag (if equipped)
The SRS side airbag is stored in the door side of each
front seatback, which bears an “SRS AIRBAG” label.
In a moderate to severe side impact collision, the SRS
side airbag on the impacted side of the vehicle de-
ploys between the occupant and the door panel and
supplements the seatbelt by reducing the impact on
the occupant’s chest.
The SRS side airbag is designed as only a sup-
plement to the primary protection provided by
the seatbelt. It does not do away with the need
to fasten seatbelts. It is also important to wear
your seatbelt to help avoid injuries that can re-
sult when an occupant is not seated in a proper
upright position.
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2
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Do not sit or lean unnecessarily close to either
front door. The SRS side airbag is stored in
both front seat seatbacks next to the door, and
it provides protection by deploying rapidly
(faster than the blink of an eye) in the event of a
side impact collision. However, the force of
SRS side airbag deployment may cause injuries
if your head or other body parts are too close to
the SRS side airbag.
Do not rest your arm on either front door or its
internal trim. It could be injured in the event of
SRS side airbag deployment.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Never allow a child to kneel on the front pas-
senger’s seat facing the side window or to wrap
his/her arms around the front seat seatback. In
the event of an accident, the force of SRS side
airbag deployment could seriously injure or
even kill the child because his/her head or arms
or other body parts are close to the side airbag.
Since your vehicle is also equipped with a pas-
senger’s SRS frontal airbag, children aged 12
and under should be placed in the rear seat
anyway and should be properly restrained at all
times.
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Do not attach accessories to the door trim or
near either SRS side airbags and do not place
objects near the SRS side airbags. In the event
of the SRS side airbag deployment, they could
be propelled dangerously toward the vehicle’s
occupants and cause injuries.
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 sur-
face on or near the SRS side airbag. They could
prevent proper deployment of the SRS side air-
bag, reducing protection available to the front
seat’s occupant.
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Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
T
Operation
A) SRS side airbag deploys as soon as a collision oc- curs.
B) After deployment, SRS side airbag starts to deflate im- mediately. The SRS side airbag can function only when the igni-
tion switch is in the “ON” position.
The driver’s and front passenger’s SRS side airbags
deploy independently of each other since each has its
own impact sensor. Also, the SRS side airbag deploys
independently of the frontal airbags in the steering
wheel and instrument panel.
An impact sensor is incorporated into each of the ve-
hicle’s center pillars. If either sensor detects a certain
predetermined amount of force during a side impact
collision, the control module sends a signal to the side
airbag module on the impacted side of the vehicle, in-
structing it to inflate the SRS side airbag. Then the
side airbag module produces gas, which instantly in-
flates the SRS side airbag. After the deployment, the
SRS side airbag immediately starts to deflate. The
time required from detecting impact to the deflation of
the SRS side airbag after deployment is shorter than
the blink of an eye.
The SRS side airbag deploys even when no one occu-
pies the seat on the side of which an impact is applied.
When the SRS side airbag deploys, a sudden, fairly
loud inflation noise will be heard and some smoke will
be released. These occurrences are normal result of
the deployment. This smoke does not indicate a fire in
A B
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the vehicle.
Do not touch the SRS side airbag system com-
ponents around the front seatback with bare
hands right after deployment. Doing so can
cause burns because the components can be
very hot as a result of deployment.
The SRS side airbag is designed to deploy in the event
of an accident involving a moderate to severe side im-
pact collision. It is basically not designed to deploy in
lesser side impact. Also, it is basically not designed to
deploy in frontal or rear impacts because SRS side air-
bag deployment would not help the occupant in those
situations.
Each SRS side airbag is designed to function on a one-time-only basis.
SRS side airbag deployment depends on the level of
force experienced in the passenger compartment dur-
ing a side impact collision. That level differs from one
type of collision to another, and it may have no bearing
on the visible damage done to the vehicle itself. V
Example of the type of accident in which the
SRS side airbag will most likely deploy.
A severe side impact near the front seat activates the
SRS side airbag.
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