height SUBARU OUTBACK 2007 4.G Owners Manual

&Child safety
WARNING
. Never 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 passen-
ger and objects inside the vehi-cle.
. While riding in the vehicle, in-
fants 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.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
restrained in the rear seating
positions than in the front seat-
ing positions. 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. The SRS airbag deploys with
considerable speed and force
and can injure or even kill chil-
dren, 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
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 PLA-
CING THE CHILD ’S HEAD TOO
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 accidentally opened the
door and fell out. Refer to the“ Door locks ”section in chapter
2.
. Always 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
operating the power window. Re-
fer to the “Power windows ”sec-
tion in chapter 2. .
Never leave unattended children
in the vehicle. They could acci-
dentally injure themselves or
others through inadvertent op-
eration of the vehicle. Also, on
hot or sunny days, temperature
in a closed vehicle could quickly
become high enough to cause
severe 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 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 in-
cluding brain damage to anyone
locked inside, p articularly for
small children.
Carefully read the sections “Child restraint
systems ”, “*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. 5
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1-2Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
Front seats
WARNING
. Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury.
. Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands and feet of rear
seat passengers or luggage are
clear of the adjusting mechan-ism.
. Seatbelts 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 posi-
tion while the vehicle is running.
If the front seatbacks 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 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 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 vehicle control
and the front passenger should
move the seat as far back as
possible and sit upright and well
back in the seat.
WARNING
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
outgrown child restraint devices) sit
in the REAR seat properly re-
strained at all times in a child
restraint device or in a seatbelt,
whichever is appropriate for thechild ’s age, height and weight.
Secure ALL types of child restraint
devices (including forward facing
child seat) in the REAR seats at alltimes.
NEVER INSTALL A REARWARD FA-
CING 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.

1-4Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Seat cushion height adjustment (driver ’s seat)
The height of the seat can be adjusted by
moving the seat cushion adjustment lever
up and down.
When the lever is pushed down, the seat
is lowered.
When the lever is pulled up, the seat rises. &
Power seat (if equipped)
! Fore and aft adjustment
To adjust the seat forward or backward,
move the control switch forward or back-ward. NOTE
During backward-forward adjustment
of the seat, you cannot adjust the seat
cushion angle or seat height. !
Reclining the seatback
WARNING
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
vehicle 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 internal injury or death.

To adjust the angle of the seatback, move
the control switch. !Seat cushion angle adjustment (Driver ’s seat only)
To adjust the seat cushion angle, pull up or push down the front end of the control switch. !
Seat height adjustment (Driver ’s
seat only)
To adjust the seat height, pull up or push
down the rear end of the control switch. & Memory function (Driver ’s
seat only, if equipped)
Two of your favorite seat positions can be
registered. Register the seat position withbutton “1 ” or “2 ” and retrieve the seat
position by pressing either button.
The following seat positions can be registered: . Forward/backward position of the seat
. Angle of seatback .
Angle of seat cushion
. Height of seat
! Registration of seat position
WARNING
. Never adjust the seat while driv-
ing to avoid the possibility of
loss of vehicle control and of
personal injury.
. Before adjusting the seat, make
sure the hands, feet and posses-
sions of rear seat passengers are
clear of the adjusting mechan-ism.
. Before registering the seat posi-
tion, confirm that the shift lever is
in the “P ” position (AT vehicles)
or the parking brake lever is
applied (MT vehicles).
1. Shift the shift lever in the “P ” position
(AT vehicles) or apply the parking brake
(MT vehicles).
2. Adjust the seat position. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-5
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injury or death.
. To retrieve the seat position,
make sure the hands, feet or
luggage of rear seat passengers
are clear of the seat adjustingmechanism.
NOTE . If a new position is registered for the
same button, the previous seat posi-
tion is deleted.. If the battery is disconnected, the
registered seat position is not deleted. & Head restraint adjustment
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 the seatback.
The head restraint should be adjusted so
that the center of the head restraint is
closest to the top of the occupant
’s ears.
WARNING
Never drive the vehicle with the
head restraints removed because
they are designed to reduce the risk
of serious neck injury in the event
that the vehicle is struck from the
rear.
& Active head restraint
The front seats of your vehicle are
equipped with active head restraints. They
automatically tilt forward slightly in the event the vehicle is struck from the rear,
decreasing the amount of rearward head
movement and thus reducing the risk of
whiplash. For maximum effectiveness the
head restraint should be adjusted so that
the center of the head restraint is closest
to the top of the occupant
’s ears.
CAUTION
. Each active head restraint is
effective only when its height is
properly adjusted and the driver/
passenger sits in the correct
position on the seat.
. If your vehicle is involved in a
rear-end collision, have an
authorized SUBARU dealer in-
spect the active head restraints.
. The active head restraints may
not operate in the event the
vehicle experiences only a slight
impact in the rear.
. The active head restraints may be
damaged if they are pushed hard
from behind or subjected to
shock. As a result, they may not
function if the vehicle suffers a
rear impact. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-7
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1-10Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Sedan models
1) Lock
2) Unlock
Unlock the seatback by turning the key
lock, and then fold the seatback down.
To return the seatback to its original position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securelylocked. !
Wagon models
Unlock the seatback by pushing the
release button and then fold the seatbackdown.
To return the seatback to its original
position, raise the seatback until it locks
into place and make sure that it is securelylocked. &Head restraint adjustment
WARNING
Never drive the vehicle with the
head restraints removed because they are designed to reduce the risk
of serious neck injury in the event
that the vehicle is struck from the
rear.
! Rear windows side seating position
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the
head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sittingheight.
Sedan

Station wagon
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 the seatback.
The head restraint should be adjusted so
that the center of the head restraint is
closest to the top of the occupant ’s ears.
When the seats are not occupied, lower
the head restraints to improve rearward
visibility. ! Rear center seating position
CAUTION
The head restraint is not intended to
be used at the lowest position.
Before sitting on the seat, raise the head restraint to an appropriate
position depending on your sittingheight.
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 the seatback.
When the rear center seating position is
occupied, place the head restraint in its
highest position. When the rear center
seating position is not occupied, lower the
head restraint to improve rearward visibi-
lity.
Armrest (if equipped)
Sedan
Station wagonSeat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-11
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Seatbelts &Seatbelt safety tips
WARNING
. All persons in the vehicle should
fasten their seatbelts BEFORE
the vehicle starts to move. Other-
wise, the possibility of serious
injury becomes greater in the
event of a sudden stop or acci-dent.
. All belts should fit snugly in order
to provide full restraint. Loose
fitting belts are not as effective in
preventing or reducing injury.
. Each seatbelt is designed to
support only one person. Never
use a single belt for two or morepersons –even children. Other-
wise, in an accident, serious
injury or death could result.
. Replace all seatbelt assemblies
including retractors and attach-
ing hardware worn by occupants
of a vehicle that has been in a
serious accident. The entire as-
sembly should be replaced even
if damage is not obvious.
. 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 children 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 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
appropriate for the child
’s height
and weight.
Secure ALL types of child re-
straint devices (including for-
ward 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 THECHILD ’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 seat-
ing positions. For instructions
and precautions concerning the
child restraint system, see the“
Child restraint systems ”section
in this chapter.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module, which will
record the use of the seatbelt(s) by the
driver and front passenger when any of
the SRS frontal, side and curtain airbagsdeploys. ! Infants or small children
Use a child restraint system that is
suitable for your vehicle. See informationon “Child restraint systems ”section in this
chapter. ! 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 positions than in the front
seating positions. Never allow a child to
stand up or kneel on the seat. Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
1-13
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1-14Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
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
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 thechild ’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.
! 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“ Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)
mode ”intended to secure a child restraint
system. When the seatbelt is once drawn
out completely and is then retracted even
slightly, the retractor locks the seatbelt in
that position and the seatbelt cannot be
extended. As the belt is rewinding, clicks
will be heard which indicate the retractor
functions as ALR. When the seatbelt is
retracted fully, ALR mode is released.
When securing a child restraint system on the passengers
’seats, 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 retractor is
restored to the Emergency Locking Re-
tractor (ELR) function by allowing the
seatbelt 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 device at the driver ’s and front
passenger ’s seat, as required by current
safety standards.
With the ignition switch turned to the “ON ”
position, this device reminds the driver
and front passenger to fasten their seat-
belts by illuminating the warning lights in
the locations indicated in the following
illustration and sounding a chime.

1-18Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags
!Adjusting the front seat shoulder
belt anchor height
The shoulder belt anchor height should be
adjusted to the position best suited for the
driver/front passenger. To lower the an-
chor height, push the release button and
slide the anchor down. To raise the anchor
height, slide the anchor up. Pull down on
the anchor to make sure that it is locked inplace.
Always adjust the anchor height so that
the shoulder belt passes over the middle
of the shoulder without touching the neck.
WARNING
When wearing the seatbelts, make
sure the shoulder portion of the
webbing does not pass over your
neck. If it does, adjust the seatbelt
anchor to a lower position. Placing
the shoulder belt over the neck may
result in neck injury during sudden
braking or in a collision.
! Unfastening the seatbelt
Push the button on the buckle.
Before closing the door, make sure that
the belts are retracted properly to avoid
catching the belt webbing in the door. !
Rear seatbelts (except rear centerseatbelt)
1. Sit well back in the seat.
2. Pick up the tongue plate and pull the
belt out slowly. Do not let it get twisted. If
the belt stops before reaching the buckle,
return the belt slightly and pull it out more
slowly. If the belt still cannot be unlocked,
let the belt retract slightly after giving a
strong pull on it, then pull it out slowlyagain.
3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle
until you hear a click.