2020 Subaru Forester Owners Manual - Child restraint systems

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 Vehi- cle Safety Standards, is compatible with your vehicle and is appropriate 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 described in “Installation of child restraint systems by use of lower and tether anchorages (LATCH)”  P71).

Children could be endangered in an accident if their child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. When installing the child restraint system, care- fully follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly restrained in the rear seating positions than in the front seating positions.

All U.S. states and Canadian provinces require that infants and small children be restrained in an approved child restraint system at all times while the vehicle is moving.

Lock release knob

Unlocked

Locked

Unlocking marker in red

The following are SUBARU’s recommen- dations on where to place a child restraint system in your vehicle.

You should not install a child restraint system (including a booster seat) due to the hazard to children posed by the passenger’s airbag.

Recommended positions for all types of child restraint systems.

In these positions, the following equipment is provided for installing a child restraint system.

Automatic Locking Retractor/Emer- gency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR) seat- belts

Lower anchorages (bars)

Upper anchorages (tether anchorages)

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 In this position, the following equipment is provided for installing a child restraint system.

ALR/ELR seatbelts

Lower anchorages (bars)

Top tether anchorages

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.

The rear center seat includes lower an- chorages, and the lower anchorages on the center side of the rear right seat can be used to install a child restraint system.

When a child restraint system is installed in the rear center seat using the lower anchorages, do not sit in the rear right seat.

If a child restraint system is not correctly fixed in place (for example, if a child restraint system can be moved more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) from side to side), the child restraint system should be moved to a window seat position of the rear seat.

Choose a child restraint system that is appropriate for the child’s age and size (weight and height) in order to provide the child with proper protection. The child restraint system should meet all applicable requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for the United States or of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for Canada. It can be identified by looking for the label on the child restraint system or the manufacturer’s statement of compli- ance in the document attached to the system.

Also it is important for you to make sure that the child restraint system is compa- tible with the vehicle in which it will be used.

Shake the seatback slightly to confirm that it is securely locked into place.

– Check the red colored unlocking marker which is attached to the bottom of the lock release knob is invisible. For details, refer to “Folding down the rear seatback”  P41.

Place the child restraint system in the rear seating position.

Run the lap and shoulder belt through or around the child restraint system follow- ing the instructions provided by its manu- facturer.

Insert the tongue plate into the buckle until you hear a click.

Take up the slack in the lap belt.

If using the seatbelt in the ALR mode is recommended by the manufacturer’s in- structions supplied with the child restraint system, perform the following procedure.

Pull out the seatbelt fully from the retractor to change the retractor over from the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) to the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)

mode.

Allow the belt to rewind into the retractor. As the belt is rewinding, clicks will be heard which indicate the retractor functions as ALR.

Push and pull the child restraint system forward and from side to side to check if it is firmly secured. Sometimes a child restraint can be more firmly secured by pushing it down into the seat cushion and then tightening the seatbelt.

If the seatbelt has been set to the ALR mode in step 5, pull at the shoulder portion of the belt to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR properly functioning).

To remove the child restraint system, press the release button on the seatbelt buckle and allow the belt to retract completely. The belt will return to the ELR mode.

! Installing forward facing child re- straint

Shake the seatback slightly to confirm that it is securely locked into place.

Check the red colored unlocking marker which is attached to the bottom of the lock release knob is not visible. For details, refer to “Folding down the rear seatback”  P41.

Remove the head restraint of the rear seating position where the child restraint system is to be installed. For details, refer to “Rear seats”  P40.

For models with rear seat reclining mechanism, adjust the seatback to the upright position.

Place the child restraint system in the rear seating position.

Run the lap and shoulder belt through or around the child restraint system follow- ing the instructions provided by its manu- facturer.

When a child restraint system is installed on the rear center seating position, pass the rear center seatbelt through the belt guide properly. For details, refer to “Rear center seatbelt”

 P54.

Insert the tongue plate into the buckle until you hear a click.

Take up the slack in the lap belt.

Pull out the seatbelt fully from the retractor to change the retractor over from the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) to the Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) function. Then, allow the belt to rewind into the retractor. As the belt is rewinding, clicks will be heard which indicate the retractor functions as ALR.

Before having a child sit in the child restraint system, try to move it back and forth and right and left to check if it is firmly secured. Sometimes a child restraint system can be more firmly secured by pushing it down into the seat cushion and then tightening the seatbelt.

Pull at the shoulder portion of the belt to confirm that it cannot be pulled out (ALR properly functioning).

Latch the top tether hook onto the tether anchorage that is located behind the rear seat and tighten the top tether firmly. For additional instructions, refer to “Top tether anchorages”  P74.

To remove the child restraint system,

press the release button on the seatbelt buckle and allow the belt to retract completely. The belt will return to the ELR mode.

Remember that the head restraint is not intended to be used at the lowest position (retracted position). Therefore, when the rear center seat is occupied (including when a child restraint system is installed) next time, be sure to raise the head restraint to the extended position.

Place the booster seat in the rear seating position and sit the child on it. The child should sit well back on the booster seat.

Run the lap and shoulder belt through or around the booster seat and the child following the instructions provided by its manufacturer.

Insert the tongue plate into the buckle until you hear a click. Take care not to twist the seatbelt.

Make sure the shoulder belt is positioned across the center of child’s shoulder and that the lap belt is positioned as low as possible on the child’s hips.

To remove the booster seat, press the release button on the seatbelt buckle and allow the belt to retract.

dents.

Some types of child restraint systems can be installed on the rear seat of the vehicle without use of the seatbelts. Such child restraint systems are secured to the designated anchorages provided on the vehicle body. The lower and tether an- chorages are sometimes referred to as the LATCH system (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren).

This vehicle is equipped with five lower anchorages (bars) and three upper an- chorages (tether anchorages) for accom- modating such child restraint systems.

There are a total of 5 lower anchorages at the rear seat. The rear anchorage from the right side is used for both the right seat and center seat. Each lower anchorage is located where the seat cushion meets the seatback.

The tether anchorages (upper an- chorages) are provided at the locations shown in the above illustration. For details, refer to “Top tether anchorages”  P74.

Shake the seatback slightly to confirm that it is securely locked into place.

– Check the red colored unlocking marker which is attached to the bottom of the lock release knob is not visible. For details, refer to “Folding down the rear seatback”  P41.

There are “ ” marks at the bottom of the rear seat seatbacks. These marks indicate the positions of the lower an- chorages (bars).

Peel off the anchorage cover from the selected side of the rear seatback. Fold the peeled anchorage cover in half and affix it with hook and loop tape to expose the anchorages (bars) to be used for installa- tion of the child restraint system.

Remove the rear seat head restraint. For details, refer to “Head restraints”

 P44.

For models with a reclining rear seat mechanism, adjust the seatback to the upright position.

Fasten the lower hooks onto the lower anchorages located at “ ” marks on the bottom of the rear seatback. When the hooks are fastened, make sure the adja- cent seatbelts are not caught.

If your child restraint system is a flexible attachment type, (which uses tether belts).

Push the child restraint into the seat cushion and pull both left and right lower tether belts up to secure the child restraint system by taking up the slack in the belt.

Fasten the top tether hook onto the tether anchorage behind the rear seat and tighten the top tether firmly. For additional instructions, refer to “Top tether an- chorages”  P74.

Before seating a child in the child restraint system, shake it to verify that it is securely in position.

To remove the child restraint system, follow the reverse procedure of installa- tion.

If you have any questions concerning this type of child restraint system, consult with your SUBARU dealer.

This vehicle is equipped with three top tether anchorages so that a child restraint system having a top tether can be installed in the rear seat. When installing such a child restraint system, proceed as follows, while observing the instructions from the child restraint system manufacturer.

Since a top tether can provide additional stability by offering another connection between a child restraint system and the vehicle, we recommend that you use a top tether whenever possible.

Left seat

Center seat

Right seat

Three upper anchorages are installed on the back side of the rear seatback.

Remove the head restraint where the child restraint system is to be installed. For details, refer to “Head restraints”  P44.

For models with a reclining rear seat, adjust the seatback to the upright position.

Attach the top tether hook to the appropriate upper anchorage.

Tighten the top tether securely.

Contact your SUBARU dealer if you have any questions regarding the installation of a child restraint system.