Subaru Forester Manuals 2011 Forester Owner’s Manual | Page 51

Seat, seatbelt and SRS airbags 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 deploys with considerable speed and force, the child could be injured or even killed. & Where to place a child restraint system The following are SUBARU’s recommendations on where to place a child restraint system in your vehicle. A: Front passenger’s seat You should not install a child restraint system (including a booster seat) due to the hazard to children posed by the passenger’s airbag. B: Rear seat, window-side seating positions 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 projection 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. C: Rear seat, center seating position Installing a child restraint system is not recommended, although the A/ELR seatbelt and an upper anchorage (tether anchorage) are provided in this position. Some types of child restraints might not be able to be secured firmly due to projection of the seat cushion. In this seating position, you should use 1-23 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. If it is unavoidable to install a child restraint system in the rear seat’s center seating position, lower the center head restraint to the lowest position and install the child restraint system by correctly passing the rear center seatbelt through the belt guide. 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 children are lighter and weaker than adults, their risk of being injured from deployment is greater. For that reason, be sure to secure ALL types of child restraint devices (including forward facing child seats) in the REAR seats at all times. You should choose a restraint device which is appropriate for the child’s age, height and weight. Ac– CONTINUED –