2002 Subaru Forester Owner's Manual - Page 72

Do not put any kind of cover over either seatback. Do not attach accessories to the door trim or near either side airbag and do not place objects near either side airbag. HS0347 HS0353 The SRS side airbag is stored in the door side of each front seatback, which bears an "SRS AIRBAG" label. In a moderate to severe side impact collision, the SRS side airbag on the impacted side of the vehicle deploys between the occupant and the door panel and supplements the seatbelt by reducing the impact on the occupant's chest. B Operation CAUTION Do not touch the SRS side airbag system components around the front seatback with bare hands right after deployment. Doing so can cause burns because the components can be very hot as a result of deployment. 1-44