child seat SUBARU OUTBACK 2004 4.G Owners Manual

5
–
CONTINUED –
ment, the driver should always sit upright and
well back in the seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still maintaining full ve-
hicle control and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as possible and sit
upright and well back in the seat.
Carefully read the sections “Seat, seatbelt and SRS
airbags” in chapter 1 of this owner’s manual for in-
structions and precautions concerning the seatbelt
system and SRS airbag system. „ Child safety
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 colli-
sion, because the child will be caught between
the passenger and objects inside the vehicle. y 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 child should sit in the REAR seat
and be restrained using the seatbelts. Accord-
ing to accident statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in the rear seating po-
sitions than in the front seating positions. Nev-
er allow a child to stand up or kneel on the seat. y
Put children aged 12 and under in the REAR
seat properly restrained at all times in a child
restraint device or in a seatbelt. 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
children are lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk being injured from deployment is
greater. y 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 CLOSE TO THE SRS AIRBAG. y Always 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 “Door locks” section in
chapter 2.y Always lock the passenger’s windows using

6
the lock switch when children are riding in the
vehicle. Failure to follow this procedure could
result in injury to a child operating the power
window. Refer to the “Power windows” section
in chapter 2.yNever leave unattended children in the vehi-
cle. They could accidentally injure themselves
or others through inadvertent operation of the
vehicle. Also, on hot or sunny days, tempera-
ture in a closed vehicle could quickly become
high enough to cause severe or possibly fatal
injuries to them. y Help prevent young children from locking
themselves in the trunk. When leaving the vehi-
cle, either close all windows and lock all doors
or cancel the inside trunk lid release. Also make
certain that the trunk is closed. On hot or sunny
days, the temperature in a trunk could quickly
become high enough to cause death or serious
heat-related injuries including brain damage,
particularly for small children.
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint sys-
tems”,“*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System
airbag)”, and “Seatbelts” in chapter 1 of this owner’s
manual for instructions and precautions concerning
the child restraint system, seatbelt system and SRS airbag system. „
Engine exhaust gas (carbon monox- ide)
yNever inhale engine exhaust gas. Engine ex-
haust gas contains carbon monoxide, a color-
less and odorless gas which is dangerous, or
even lethal, if inhaled. y Always properly maintain the engine exhaust
system to prevent engine exhaust gas from en-
tering the vehicle. y Never run the engine in a closed space, such
as a garage, except for the brief time needed to
drive the vehicle in or out of it. y Avoid remaining in a parked vehicle for a
lengthy time while the engine is running. If that
is unavoidable, then use the ventilation fan to
force fresh air into the vehicle. y Always keep the front ventilator inlet grille
free from snow, leaves or other obstructions to
ensure that the ventilation system always
works properly. y If at any time you suspect that exhaust fumes
are entering the vehicle, have the problem

14
„
Interior
T Passenger compartment area
1
2
3
4
5
UBF038BB
1) Lower anchorage for child re-
straint system (page 2-22)
2) Seatbelt (page 1-18)
3) Parking brake lever (page 7-40)
4) Front seat (page 1-2)
5) Rear seat (page 1-10)

1-1
1
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats .................................................... 1-2 Fore and aft adjustment ................................... 1-3
Seat cushion angle and height adjustment (Power seat only) ........................................... 1-4
Reclining the seatback ..................................... 1-5
Head restraint adjustment ................................ 1-7
Lumbar support (if equipped) .......................... 1-8
Seat heater (if equipped) .............................. 1-9
Rear seats ..................................................... 1-10 Armrest (if equipped) ........................................ 1-11
Headrest adjustment – Rear center seating position on Station wagon ............................ 1-13
Folding down the rear seat – Station wagon .. 1-14
Seatbelts ....................................................... 1-18 Seatbelt safety tips ........................................... 1-18
Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) .............. 1-19
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retractor (A/ELR) ............................................................ 1-20
Seatbelt warning light and chime ................... 1-20
Fastening the seatbelt ...................................... 1-20
Seatbelt maintenance ....................................... 1-31
Seatbelt extender ......................................... 1-32
Front seatbelt pretensioners ....................... 1-34 System monitors ............................................... 1-35
System servicing .............................................. 1-36
Precautions against vehicle modification ...... 1-37
Child restraint systems ................................ 1-37 Where to place a child restraint system ......... 1-39
Choosing a child restraint system .................. 1-41 Installing child restraint systems with A/ELR
seatbelt ............................................................ 1-41
Installing a booster seat ................................... 1-46
Installation of child restraint systems by use
of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH) .... 1-48
Top tether anchorages ..................................... 1-52
*SRS airbag (Supplemental Restraint System airbag) ........................................... 1-57Vehicle with driver’s and front passenger’s SRS airbags and lap/shoulder restraints ..... 1-57
SRS frontal airbag ............................................ 1-62
SRS side airbag (if equipped) .......................... 1-70
SRS airbag system monitors ........................... 1-78
SRS airbag system servicing .......................... 1-79
Precautions against vehicle modification ...... 1-80

1-2
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbagsFront seats
y
Never adjust the seat while driving to avoid
the possibility of loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury. y Before adjusting the seat, make sure the
hands and feet of rear seat passengers are
clear of the adjusting mechanism. y Seatbelts provide maximum restraint 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 seat-
backs are not used in the upright 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 in-
ternal injury or death.y 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 deploy-
ment, the driver should always sit upright and well back in the seat as far from the steering
wheel as practical while still maintaining full ve-
hicle control and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as possible and situpright and well back in the seat.
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
HS1034BA

1-3
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
– CONTINUED –
restrained or improperly restrained. Because
children are lighter and weaker than adults,
their risk of being injured from deployment is
greater. For that reason, we strongly recom-
mend 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 (in-
cluding forward facing child seat) in the REAR
seats at all times.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FACING CHILDSEAT 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 seat-
ing positions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precautions con-
cerning child restraint systems, see the “Child
restraint systems” section in this chapter. „
Fore and aft adjustment
T Manual type
Pull 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.
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1-18
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Seatbelts „
Seatbelt safety tips
yAll persons in the vehicle should fasten their
seatbelts BEFORE the vehicle starts to move.
Otherwise, the possibility of serious injury be-
comes greater in the event of a sudden stop or
accident.y All belts should fit snugly in order to provide
full restraint. Loose fitting belts are not as ef-
fective in preventing or reducing injury.y Each seatbelt is designed to support only
one person. Never use a single belt for two or
more persons – even children. Otherwise, in an
accident, serious injury or death could result. y Replace all seatbelt assemblies including re-
tractors and attaching hardware worn by occu-
pants of a vehicle that has been in a serious ac-
cident. The entire assembly should be replaced
even if damage is not obvious.y 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, espe- cially if they are 12 years of age and under and
are not restrained or improperly restrained. Be-
cause children are lighter and weaker than
adults, their risk of being injured from deploy-
ment 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 re-
straint device or in a seatbelt, whichever is ap-
propriate for the child’s height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint devices (in-
cluding 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 seat-
ing positions than in the front seating posi-
tions. For instructions and precautions con-
cerning the child restraint system, see the
“Child restraint systems” section in this chap-
ter.

1-19
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
– CONTINUED –
TInfants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is suitable for your ve-
hicle. See information on “Child restraint systems” inthis chapter. T 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 po-
sitions 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, 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 re-
straint system should be used. Never place the shoul-
der belt under the child’s arm or behind the child’sback. T
Expectant mothers
Expectant mothers also need to use the seatbelts.
They should consult their doctor for specific recom-
mendations. The lap belt should be worn securely and
as low as possible over the hips, not over the waist. „ Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR)
The driver’s seatbelt has an Emergency Locking Re- tractor (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 quick-
ly out of the retractor.
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1-20
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
„
Automatic/Emergency Locking Retrac- tor (A/ELR)
Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Automatic/Emer-
gency Locking Retractor (A/ELR). The Automatic/
Emergency Locking Retractor normally functions as
an Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR). The A/ELR
has an additional locking mode “Automatic Locking
Retractor (ALR) mode” intended to secure a child re-
straint system. When the seatbelt is once drawn out
completely and is then retracted even slightly, the re-
tractor locks the seatbelt in that position and the seat-
belt cannot be extended. As the belt is rewinding,
clicks will be heard which indicate the retractor func-
tions as ALR. When the seatbelt is retracted fully, ALR
mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on the passen-
gers’ seats, the seatbelt must be changed over to the
Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) mode.
When the child restraint system is removed, make
sure that the retractor is restored to the Emergency
Locking Retractor (ELR) function by allowing the seat-
belt to retract fully.
For instructions on how to convert the retractor to the
ALR mode and restore it to the ELR mode, see the
“Child restraint systems” section in this chapter. „
Seatbelt warning light and chime
Your vehicle is equipped with a seatbelt warning de-
vice at the driver’s seat.
This device causes the seatbelt warning light on the
instrument panel to light up for about six seconds
when the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position
to remind the driver to wear the seatbelt. If the driver’s
seatbelt is not fastened, a warning chime sounds at
the same time. „ Fastening the seatbelt
yNever use a belt that is twisted or reversed. In
an accident, this can increase the risk or sever-
ity of injury.y Keep the lap belt as low as possible on your
hips. In a collision, this spreads the force of the
lap belt over stronger hip bones instead of
across the weaker abdomen.y Seatbelts provide maximum restraint 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 seat-

1-37
Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
– CONTINUED –
NOTE
If the front part of the vehicle is damaged in an ac-
cident to the extent that the seatbelt pretensioner
does not operate, contact your SUBARU dealer as
soon as possible. „Precautions against vehicle modifica- tion
Always consult your SUBARU dealer if you want to in-
stall any accessory parts to your vehicle.
Do not perform any of the following modifica-
tions. Such modifications can interfere with
proper operation of the seatbelt pertensioners. y Attachment of any equipment (bush bar,
winches, snow plow, skid plate, etc.) other than
SUBARU genuine accessory parts to the front
end. y Modification of the suspension system or
front end structure. y Installation of a tire of different size and con-
struction from the tires specified on the tire
placard attached to the door jamb.
Child restraint systems
Infants 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 Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards, is compatible with your vehicle and is ap-
propriate for the child’s age and size. All child restraint
systems are designed to be secured in vehicle seats
by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap/shoulder belt
(except those covered under the section in this manu-al, entitled “Installation of child restraint systems by
use of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH)”).
UB1080BA