Get Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags -> Seatbelts Guide for Subaru Forester SUV 2024

Seatbelts

Selecting “HIGH” mode will cause the seat

to heat up quicker.

Never use a belt that is twisted or

reversed. In an accident, this can

increase the risk or severity of

injury.

1-5. Seatbelts

& Seatbelt safety tips

NOTE

Only the front seat heater switches

retain the previous switch position

even if the vehicle has restarted. The

rear seat heater switch will reset.

WARNING

Keep the lap belt as low as

possible on your hips. In a colli-

sion, this spreads the force of the

lap belt over stronger hip bones

instead of across the weaker

abdomen.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

Seatbelts 49

Your vehicle is equipped with a crash

sensing and diagnostic module, which will

record the use of the seatbelt by the front

passenger when any of the SRS frontal,

side and curtain airbags deploy.

in serious internal injury or death.

Secure ALL types of child restraint

devices (including forward facing

child restraint systems) in the REAR

seats at all times.

NEVER INSTALL A CHILD RE-

STRAINT SYSTEM IN THE FRONT

PASSENGER’S SEAT. DOING SO

RISKS SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH

TO THE CHILD BY PLACING THE

CHILD’S HEAD TOO CLOSE TO THE

SRS AIRBAG.

! Infants or small children

Use a child restraint system that is suitable

for your vehicle. Refer to “Child restraint

systems” �P60.

! Children

According to accident statistics,

children are safer when properly

restrained in the rear seating posi-

tions than in the front seating posi-

tions. For instructions and precau-

tions concerning the child restraint

system, refer to “Child restraint

systems” �P60.

WARNING

Place children in the rear seat prop-

erly restrained at all times. The SRS

airbag deploys with considerable

speed and force and can injure or

even kill children, especially if they

are not restrained or improperly

restrained. Because 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 chil-

dren (including those in child re-

straint systems and those that have

outgrown child restraint devices) sit

in the REAR seat properly restrained

at all times in a child restraint

system or in a seatbelt, whichever

is appropriate for the child’s height

and weight.

WARNING

Never place the shoulder belt under

the arm or behind the back. If an

accident occurs, this can increase

the risk or severity of injury.

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.

CAUTION

Metallic parts of the seatbelt can

become very hot in a vehicle that has

been closed up in sunny weather;

they could burn an occupant. Do not

touch such hot parts until they cool.

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

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Seatbelts

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.

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.

& 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.

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.

! Expectant mothers

For instructions on how to convert the

retractor to the ALR mode and restore it to

the ELR mode, refer to “Installing child

restraint systems with ALR/ELR seatbelt”

�P65.

& Automatic Locking Retractor/

Emergency Locking Retrac-

tor (ALR/ELR)

Each passenger’s seatbelt has an Auto-

matic Locking Retractor/Emergency Lock-

ing Retractor (ALR/ELR). The Automatic

Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking

Retractor normally functions as an Emer-

gency Locking Retractor (ELR). The ALR/

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 an ALR. When the seatbelt is

retracted fully, the ALR mode is released.

& Seatbelt warning light

and chime

Refer to “Seatbelt warning light and chime”

�P168.

& Fastening the seatbelt

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.

! Front seatbelts

1. Adjust the seat position according to

the following procedure.

Driver’s seat: Adjust the seatback to

the upright position. Move the seat as

far from the steering wheel as practical

while still maintaining full vehicle con-

trol.

Front passenger’s seat: Adjust the

Seatbelts 51

seatback to the upright position. Move

the seat as far back as possible.

! Adjusting the front seat shoulder

belt anchor height

2. Sit well back in the seat.

3. 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 it a

strong pull, then pull it out slowly

again.

5. To tighten the lap part, pull up on the

shoulder belt.

6. Place the lap belt as low as possible on

the hips, not on the waist.

The shoulder belt anchor height should be

adjusted to the position best suited for the

driver/front passenger. Always adjust the

anchor height so that the shoulder belt

passes over the middle of the shoulder

without touching the neck.

To raise:

Slide the anchor up.

To lower:

Pull the release knob and slide the anchor

down.

4. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle

until you hear a click.

Pull down the anchor to make sure that it is

locked in place.

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Seatbelts

Before closing the door, make sure that the

belts are retracted properly to avoid

catching the belt webbing in the door.

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.

! Rear seatbelts (except rear center

seatbelt)

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.

! Unfastening the seatbelt

. If the belt still cannot be unlocked, let

the belt retract slightly after giving it a

strong pull, then pull it out slowly

again.

4. To tighten the lap part, pull up on the

shoulder belt.

5. Place the lap belt as low as possible on

the hips, not on the waist.

Button

1. Push the button on the buckle.

2. Retract the seatbelt slowly to prevent it

from getting tangled or twisted.

3. Insert the tongue plate into the buckle

until you hear a click.

Seatbelts 53

! Rear center seatbelt

! Unfastening the seatbelt

WARNING

Fastening the seatbelt with the web-

bing twisted can increase the risk or

severity of injury in an accident.

When fastening the belt after it is

pulled out from the retractor, espe-

cially when inserting the anchor

tongue plate into the mating buckle

(on right-hand side), always check

that the webbing is not twisted.

Center seatbelt tongue plate

Anchor tongue plate

Anchor buckle

Button

1. Push the button on the buckle.

2. Retract the seatbelt slowly to prevent it

from getting tangled or twisted.

Center seatbelt buckle

Before closing the door, make sure that the

belts are retracted properly to avoid

catching the belt webbing in the door.

– CONTINUED –

Seatbelts

WARNING

Be sure to fasten both tongue

plates to the respective buckles.

If the seatbelt is used only as a

shoulder belt (with the anchor

tongue plate not fastened to the

connector’s buckle on the right-

hand side), it cannot properly

restrain the wearer in position in

an accident, possibly resulting in

serious injury or death.

The head restraint is not intended

to be used at the lowest position.

Before sitting on the seat, raise

the head restraint to the extended

position. Otherwise, in an acci-

dent, serious injury or death

could result.

Rear center seatbelt is stowed in the

recess of the ceiling.

1. Retrieve the anchor tongue plate from

the slot in the recess by pulling the

anchor tongue plate, then pull out the

seatbelt slowly.

2. Pass the seatbelt through the belt

guide.

3. After confirming that the webbing is not

twisted, insert the anchor tongue plate

attached at the webbing end into the

buckle on the right-hand side until a

Seatbelts 55

! Unfastening the seatbelt

click sounds.

. 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,

give it a strong pull and let it retract

slightly, then pull it out slowly again.

5. To tighten the lap part, pull up on the

shoulder belt.

Button

6. Place the lap belt as low as possible on

the hips, not on the waist.

1. Push the release button of the center

seatbelt buckle (on the left-hand side)

to unfasten the seatbelt.

NOTE

When the seatback is folded down, it is

necessary to disconnect the connector.

4. Insert the center seatbelt tongue plate

into the center seatbelt buckle marked

“CENTER” on the left-hand side until it

clicks.

– CONTINUED –

Seatbelts

retractor to roll up the belt slowly. You

should hold the webbing end and guide

it back into the retractor while it is

rolling up. Neatly store the tongue plate

in the recess on the ceiling and then

insert the anchor tongue plate into the

slot located at the front of the recess.

the trim during driving, causing

damage to the trim.

& Seatbelt maintenance

To clean the seatbelts, use a mild soap and

lukewarm water. Never bleach or dye the

belts because this could seriously affect

their strength.

Inspect the seatbelts and attachments

including the webbing and all hardware

periodically for cracks, cuts, gashes, tears,

damage, loose bolts or worn areas. Re-

place the seatbelts even if only minor

damage is found.

2. Insert a tongue plate or other hard

pointed object into the slot in the

anchor buckle on the right-hand side

and push it in. The anchor tongue plate

will then disconnect from the buckle.

CAUTION

Keep the belts free of polishes,

oils, chemicals and particularly

battery acid.

Never attempt to make modifica-

tions or changes that will prevent

the seatbelt from operating prop-

erly.

CAUTION

Do not allow the retractor to roll

up the seatbelt too quickly. Other-

wise, the metal tongue plates

may hit against the trim, resulting

in damaged trim.

Have the seatbelt fully rolled up

so that the tongue plates are

neatly stored. A hanging tongue

plate can swing and hit against

3. With the belt held by hand, allow the

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags -> Seatbelts for Your Subaru Forester SUV 2024

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